scallion

Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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This dish is one of my “go to” dishes when contemplating endlessly without resolve in my mind what I will cook for the next meal.
Although I am a sucker for real curry, pasta sautéed in curry powder and “stuff” is something I can eat happily any time of the day, as often as twice a week.
Usually the basic ingredients are items I have always stocked in my fridge, freezer or cupboard:
Pasta, beef, shrimp or chicken, any type of vegetables, curry powder, a bit of kecap manis, chili paste, soy sauce or maggi seasoning, onion or scallion, eggs and herbs.
An added bonus to this dish is that it reheat’s wonderfully. (Some say it’s even better when re-heated) 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg (Sunshine On A Plate)

Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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Preparation :
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: whisk 4 ea whole eggs, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: cook and drain 1 lb pasta of your choice

: saute 5 oz of mushroom in 4 tblsp clarified butter

: add 1 lb headless, tail-less, peeled and butterflied shrimp, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: remove shrimp and mushroom from pan, reserve

: in the remaining butter, saute 1 lb of fresh vegetables of your choice, season with 1 tsp garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, remove from pan, reserve

: add two more tblsp clarified butter, add 1 tsp garlic paste, 2 tblsp curry powder, 2 tblsp turmeric, 1 tblsp kecap manis, 1 dash of maggi seasoning, 1 tsp chili paste, kosher salt to taste, saute until fragrant

: add pasta, mix well, put pasta to one side of the pan, add the eggs, scramble until set

: mix the scrambled eggs with the pasta

: add the shrimp, mushrooms and vegetables, mix well, check/adjust the seasoning; serves 4

: (Sunshine On A Plate) Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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Nasi Goreng

Restaurant Version Nasi Goreng >

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Nasi Goreng can be had in one version or another in many Asian countries. Actually, it is the national dish of Indonesia, where it can be eaten at any time of the day from road side hawker carts to 5 star restaurants and in any home.
As with so many Asian dishes I learned about in Germany the 60’s, the”Nasi Goreng” of my youth was usually made with curry powder, which qualified the dish as “exotic” :-).
In later years, while working and travelling in Asia, I got to know the real stuff, usually seasoned with sambal ulek and kecup manis, garlic, sauteed and fried shallots and soy sauce.
However, even back then when I was a kid and enjoyed the curry powder versions, the standard accompaniments (Garniture) were the same as you’d find in a good restaurant then and now anywhere around the world, where appearance is almost as important as taste : Kroepek (shrimp crackers), sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, fried eggs, fried shallots and satay’s with peanut sauce.
Today, after coming home from work, “Garniture” was not in the forefront of my mind but rather a hearty, spicy, quick to prepare dish which would hit all the buttons of my culinary lust 🙂
So here it is : Nasi goreng without the bells & whistles but at it’s tastiest !
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
As you can see in the picture, I used fresh-cooked rice. Day old rice is of course preferable for any fried rice, including nasi goreng, but I needed to have my fix NOW.
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Nasi Goreng

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Preparation :
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: stir fry 1 1/2 cup diced chicken and 1 1/2 cup peeled and deveined shrimp in 2 tblsp peanut oil, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste; add 2 sliced medium hot chilis, 1 small finely sliced onion 3 cups cooked rice, 1 tsp sambal olek, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, 2 tsp kecap manis, 1 tsp soy sauce

: add kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, stir fry until well mixed and the rice starts to “pop”, check/adjust seasoning; put the nasi goreng on a serving dish, sprinkle with fried shallots

: top nasi goreng with 3 fried eggs, sprinkle with chili flakes and sliced scallions; serves 3

: Nasi Goreng

: Nasi Goreng

: Nasi Goreng

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Braised Teriyaki Chicken With Spicy Rice Sticks

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Braised teriyaki chicken tastes more intense of teriyaki sauce than grilled or sautéed teriyaki chicken, because the braising process allows the sauce to penetrate the meat much better than marinating and then grilling or sauteing would.
However, if you only like your chicken skin crisp, this preparation might not be for you. But if on the other hand you do like the texture of a braised chicken skin (think coq au vin as a reference) and if you love the braising liquid/sauce from a well-seasoned braised dish (again, think of the great sauce a coq au vin will provide), this “Braised Teriyaki Chicken With Spicy Rice Sticks” will make you happy. The additional sauce from the chicken provides a wonderful coating to the already flavorful rice sticks.
Superb food, achieved with small effort and in little time. Life is Good !
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Braised Teriyaki Chicken With Spicy Rice Sticks

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Preparation :
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: pour enough boiling water over a 8 oz pack of rice sticks, let steep until al dente, about 8 minutes

: drain rice sticks, toss with 1 tblsp chili oil and 1 tblsp sesame oil

: season 3 ea boneless chicken legs with kosher salt, garlic paste and sriracha sauce to taste

: saute the chicken legs on both sides in 1 tblsp peanut oil

: add 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce and 1/3 cup chicken stock, simmer covered until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes; check/adjust seasoning

: meanwhile, stir fry 1 cup finely sliced bell peppers with 1/3 cup finely sliced yellow onion in 2 tblsp peanut oil, season with1 tsp garlic paste and kosher salt to taste, stir fry another minute

: add the rice sticks, stir fry another minute, check/adjust seasoning

: plate the rice sticks on a serving platter

: top with the chicken legs and the teriyaki braising sauce, garnish with herbs or sprouts of your choice ; serves 3

: Braised Teriyaki Chicken With Spicy Rice Sticks

: Braised Teriyaki Chicken With Spicy Rice Sticks

: Braised Teriyaki Chicken With Spicy Rice Sticks

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Pearl Burgers

Pearl Balls

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Pearl ~~Balls~~ Burgers :
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DON’T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD !
When we were kids, most of us had to be told not to play with our food in order to install respect and gratitude towards our daily nourishment, which in my case, immediately after WWII in Germany, was not nearly as guaranteed and abundant as is now for most of us.
But, decades later, like any professional chef, I love to “play” with food, either to improve a dish’s taste, appearance, profitability, or just for the heck of it. 🙂
“Just for the heck of it” happened today.
I was well on my way to prepare traditional “Chinese Pearl Balls”, which I love dearly and I prepare quite often for myself at home. They are easy and quick to prepare, look wonderful and they serve perfect as snack, appetizer or main course in a multi-course meal.
However, today I had the urge to “play with my food” a bit and the following was the result. Both versions of the burgers were outstanding in taste and especially in texture, and I will definitely prepare them again 🙂
Because of their size and the additional liquid added to the ground meat, the pearl burgers were much more juicy than regular pearl balls, which tend to dry-out quickly when removed from the steam. The burgers without the rice coating were very juicy as well, with the additional bonus of the taste/texture-enhancement resulting from the maillard reaction.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
As mentioned above and as you can see in the prep-pictures below, I added much more water to the ground meat as one would to regular pearl balls, since holding their shape was not an issue for the patties as it would have been shaping the pork into spherical shapes. The added moisture made a huge difference in the final product.
P.P.S.
Serve with Kecap Manis or other dipping sauce of your choice.
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Click here to read about Maillard Reaction
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Click here for Kecap Manis Recipe on ChefsOpinion
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Pearl Burger

Asian Flavored Pork Burger

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Preparation :
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: mix 2 lbs ground pork, 4 ea stalks sliced scallions, 1 tblsp sesame oil, 1 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp chili paste, kosher salt to taste and 1 cup water or unsalted chicken broth

: soak 1 cup long grain rice overnight in water; next day, drain rice and pat dry

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: divide pork into 4 patties, dip 2 ea on both sides in the soaked rice

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: saute the 2 plain patties on both sides in peanut oil until golden and cooked medium-well – (the carry-over heat will finish the cooking process) ; serves 2

: place one ea of the pearl patties on a lightly oiled plate or parchment paper, steam in 2 steamer baskets (one above each other) until medium well – (the carry-over heat will finish the cooking process) ; serves 2

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: Asian Flavored Pork Burger

: Steamed Pearl Burger

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: Asian Flavored Pork Burger

: Pearl Balls Burger

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Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

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English – Rice Porridge; Japanese – Okayu; Korean – Jukin; Thai – Jok; Tagalog – Lugao, Burmese – Hsan Pyok.

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In my own experience, there’s no food more simple and more comforting than a bowl of congee, which is basically just rice cooked with a lot of liquid until it forms a soft porridge.
Congee can be enjoyed any time of the day (or night 🙂 and there are as many recipes and methods for making congee as there are restaurants, homes, mothers and grandmothers to prepare them. However, the basics are just water and rice, cooked until thickened to the texture you prefer, anywhere from very liquid to quite thick.
In this basic form, congee has provided a full belly as well as help against minor ailments since ancient times.
Additional ingredients and condiments for congee are limited only to ones fantasy, taste and wallet. (Lobster anyone?)
For some of the more adventurous variations of congee click HERE
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

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Preparation :
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: cook 2 cup rice of your choice in lightly salted water until it has the texture of thin porridge and the rice is VERY soft

: meanwhile, saute 12 oz spicy sausage cut into thick slices and 1 medium size onion cut into julienne in 1 tblsp peanut oil until sausage and onion start to brown

: just about………

: add the rice porridge to the sausage/onions

: add 2 cup tighly packed fresh spinach, remove from heat

: mix all ingredients; to serve, sprinkle with fried scallions; serve with sesame oil, chili paste and soy sauce; season to your own preference; serves 4

: Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

: Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

: Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

: Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

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Beef Medallions, Gnocchi And Truffled Eggs

Raw Bubenspitzle

Cooked And Sauteed Bubenspitzle

Raw Gnocchi

Cooked And Sauteed Gnocchi

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Gnocchi, in a slightly different shape as the Italian version, are very popular in Germany, especially in the south – namely, in Baden-Württemberg and Bayern.
Our “Gnocchi” consist of the same basic ingredients, potatoes, flour and egg, but they are slightly different in shape -more elongated than the Italian version.
We prepare them savory or sweet. We use rye or wheat flour, add eggs or not, add potatoes or not, fry them or simmer them, saute them after simmering or not, and do basically whatever we want to do with them 🙂 (Unlike our Italian friends, who are pretty set on how to do their own gnocchi).
As for the name given to our versions, we are pretty flexible as well: Schupfnudel, Fingernudel, Baunzen, Dradewixpfeiferl, Erdepfebaunkerl, Schopperla, Bauchstecherla, and even “Bubenspitzle“, which literally translates into “little boys’ willies” – look at the pic and you’ll understand 🙂
Btw- If you wonder about the rather unrefined addition of a couple of slices of tomatoes- the texture and fresh taste of the tomatoes compliment the gnocchi, eggs and beef perfectly.
The entire recipe below serves 2 big eaters, or 4 with a smaller appetite…..
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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P.S.
Jamaican Dumplings – Sinkers (round) or Spinners (bubenspitzle shape) are another, even more distant version -made mostly of flour and water; they are fried (Jonny Cakes), simmered, or first simmered and then fried. Add cornmeal, baking powder and sugar, then fry them and you have Festival.
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Click here for Jamaican Dumplings on ChefsOpinion
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Gnocchi Recipe:
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Ingredients:
1 lb Russet potatoes,   cooked, peeled, mashed
A/P flour,   sifted – as needed
2 Eggs,  whole, whisked
Kosher salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 0z Butter
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Method :
Add egg, seasoning and flour to potatoes, mix lightly until smooth.
Shape into gnocchi.
Make light indentations with a fork.
Cook a sample in simmering salted water. If too soft, add flour. If too dense, add egg.
Cook gnocchi in simmering water until gnocchi float. Remove with slotted spoon into strainer. Saute in melted butter.
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Beef Medaillons, Gnocchi And Truffled Eggs

Beef Medallions, Gnocchi And Truffled Eggs

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Preparation :
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: clean a beef tenderloin from fat and silver skin

: cut 4 ea 5 oz medallions

: season with kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper

: saute madallions in Very hot garlic oil to your preferred temperature (I love mine rare/med rare, depending on the thickness of the beef

: remove from pan, reserve

: whisk 4 whole eggs with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, add 4 ea stalks finely sliced scallions and truffle oil to taste (a few drops are enough for me)

: cook gnocchi in salted water until floating; drain, saute in 3 oz butter

: add eggs, saute until eggs are set

: almost………..

: place two thick slices of tomato on the serving plate, salt generously; add the scrambled gnocchi, sprinkle with grated Parmegiano Reggiano

: Beef Medaillons, Gnocchi And Truffled Eggs

: Beef Medaillons, Gnocchi And Truffled Eggs

: Beef Medaillons, Gnocchi And Truffled Eggs

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A Pig And A Hoagie

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There you have it – a pig at it’s finest……..

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This meal started out to become a traditional Asian-style braised pork belly dish, served with steamed rice and some kind of green vegetables.
However, after starting the belly, I changed my mind and decided to go with another sandwich, because…….why not ? 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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A Pig And A Hoagie

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Preparation :
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: season a 20 oz piece of pork belly with kosher salt, saute until browned on all sides

: add 3 large sliced onions, 1 tblsp five spice powder, 2 tblsp garlic paste, 1 tblsp chili paste, 2 tblsp kecup manis, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 cup soy sauce and 3 cup chicken or pork stock

: bring to a slow simmer, cover and cook until very tender but NOT falling apart, about 2 hours

: remove belly to a cutting board, with a slotted spoon remove braised onions, reserve; keep sauce for another dish (great to mix with noodles)

: there you have it ……..

: slice belly into 6 thick pieces

: meanwhile, make a salad from 8 ea halved cherry tomatoes, 3 tblsp marinated banana peppers, 1/3 bunch chives and 2 tblsp simple vinaigrette; make a salsa from 3 ea sliced scallions, 3 ea chopped chilies, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, lime juice and kosher salt to taste

: cut 2 day-old hoagies lenghtwise (there are a lot of juices, so you don’t want the bread to be too soft), reserve the top halves

: drain the salad, divide between the 2 bottom-halves of the hoagies

: top each hoagie with half the sliced pork

: top each hoagie with half the braised onions

: top ea hoagie with half of the salsa

: top ea hoagie with the reserved top halves of the hoagies

: A Pig And A Hoagie

: A Pig And A Hoagie

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Ox Tripe Two Way’s

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: Creamy Ox Tripe Stew

: Clear Oxtripe Stew

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Even though ox tripe is not everybody’s cup of tea, I myself am an incurable fan of it.
Originally classified as “Poor Man’s Food”, it has lately become more widely used, especially since the “Head To Tail” movement has become popular and it is now “in” to classify former “Poor Man’s Food” as “Comfort Food 🙂 .
Well, I grew up loving this type of food, so for today’s lunch, I made two versions, one for lunch and one to be re-heated at dinner.
Of course, there are a million recipes for ox tripe from around the world and I love most of them. But these two versions of (almost) the same recipe are without a doubt on the very top of my list. Great looks, super taste and outstanding texture lift them to the level of excellence the humble ox tripe deserves.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Oxtripe recipes on ChefsOpinion ( Mondongo/ Beef Tripe/ Kutteln/ 牛百叶/ 牛百葉/ Goto/ Tripa/ требуха/ أمعاء, شىء تافه )
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Clear Ox Tripe Stew

Creamy Ox Tripe Stew

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Preparation :
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: blanch 2 lbs tripe in lightly salted and vinegared water (one tblsp ea salt and vinegar per qt of water), repeat

: drain, rinse

: cut into thick strips, simmer in lightly salted and vinegared water (one tblsp ea salt and vinegar per qt of water) until soft but not mushy, drain, set aside

: drain one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, one 14 oz can drained northern beans, one 14 oz can red kidney beans, one 14 oz can kernel corn

: saute julienne of 2 med sized onions in 1 tblsp olive oil until translucent, add 1 tblsp garlic paste, saute until fragrant

: add the diced tomatoes, northern beans, red kidney beans, kernel corn, 8 oz shredded carrots, 1 bunch chopped cilantro and 1 qt beef stock, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: simmer stew for 2 minutes, check/adjust seasoning, divide stew in half, reserve one half for recipe # 2

: add 1 half of the tripe to the stew; to serve, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, finely sliced scallions and grated parmesan cheese (optional)

: Clear Oxtripe Stew

: for second recipe, blend 1/4 of reserved stew with 1 tblsp grated parmesan until smooth

: add 1 cup heavy cream, mix

: return mixture to the remaining 3/4 of the reserved stew, mix well, add reserved tripe, check/adjust seasoning

: to serve, drizzle with chili oil and sprinkle with finely sliced scallions and chopped cilantro

: Creamy Ox Tripe Stew

: Creamy Ox Tripe Stew

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Steak Salad – Just A Bit Different

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We have come to expect a steak salad to be mostly beef and greens, usually with an afterthought of a few cucumbers, tomatoes and onions thrown in. (Myself – guilty) 🙂 😦
So today I went into a different direction, with a salad of pickled artichokes, sliced red onions, diced tomatoes, black beans and garbanzos in a delicious sweet chili, garlic confit and cilantro vinaigrette .
The result was a spectacular dish, outstanding in looks, taste and texture.
Definitely a permanent addition to my personal repertoir.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Sweet Chili, Garlic Confit And Cilantro Vinaigrette Recipe :
Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 10 cloves of garlic confit, 1 tblsp sweet thai chili sauce, 1 tblsp chopped cilantro, 2 tblsp rice vinegar and kosher salt to taste.
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Steak Salad – Just A Bit Different

Artichoke & Legumes Salad

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Preparation :
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: trimm four 10 oz strip steaks of all skin and fat, season with kosher salt and grd black pepper, saute or grill until done to your preference, let steaks rest at least 10 minutes before slicing

: prepare the dressing (see recipe)

: mix one 8 oz can of marinated artichokes, one 8 oz can of black beans, one 8 oz can of garbanzos, one 4 oz can of diced tomatoes, and 1 medium sliced onion with the dressing, check/adjust seasoning

: mix one 8 oz can of marinated artichokes, one 8 oz can of black beans, one 8 oz can of garbanzos, one 4 oz can of diced tomatoes, and 1 medium sliced onion with the dressing, check/adjust seasoning

: divide the salad between 4 serving plates

: top each salad with one sliced steak; recipe serves 4

: Steak Salad – Just A Bit Different

: Steak Salad – Just A Bit Different

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Mongolian Beef

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Fact: Mongolian Beef is not Chinese food.
Fact: Mongolian Beef is not Mongolian food.
Fact: Mongolian Beef is an American creation from the 40’s.
Fact: Mongolian Beef can be pretty awful.
Fact: Mongolian Beef can be pretty good.
Fact: Mongolian Beef has a million and one recipes – different beef cuts, different vegetables, different sauce, etc.
Fact: Mongolian Beef should contain beef strips and scallions stir fried in peanut oil and finished in a savory, spicy brown sauce.
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Fact: THIS Mongolian Beef recipe is super delicious 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Chinese Steamed Rice ( 飯 Fan) on ChefsOpinion
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Mongolian Beef

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Preparation :
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: make a sauce by mixing 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup oyster sauce, 1/3 cup hoi sin sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, grated ginger and chili flakes to taste