I made this last night for the first time based on a dish I had at the Adobe Cafe last week. The foundations of this dish I have used many times before, but the combination ended up the perfect comfort food for a winter's evening. My guests wildly approved.
Ingredients:
1 lb. of ground pork or beef
4 oz. prosciutto, diced
3 large turnips, diced
3 large carrots, diced
1 fennel bulb, cored, diced
1 bunch kale, washed, chopped
4 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of unsalted bread crumbs
3 tbsp. olive oil (with additional for drizzling to roast vegetables)
Sea salt (to taste)
1 16 oz. box of orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions about 2 mins. shy of al dente
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with foil. Scatter the chopped turnips, carrots, and fennel onto the baking sheets. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Place into the hot oven and roast for approximately 35 - 40 mins. until the vegetables are turning brown. Set aside to cool.
In a large, deep pan, melt the butter into the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the remaining dry spices, dill, and the ground pork and prosciutto. Cook until the pork begins to brown. Add the white wine and chicken broth and increase heat to high and cook for approximately 15 minutes until the sauce begins to reduce, stirring frequently. Add the chopped kale, reduce heat to medium-high, cover, and simmer until the kale is fully wilted (about 8 - 10 minutes). Add the roasted vegetables, heavy cream, and cooked pasta. Mix thoroughly and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the parmesan and bread crumbs, mixing thoroughly. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 appetizer or 4 dinner portions.
Showing posts with label Italian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italian. Show all posts
Friday, January 14, 2011
Friday, August 28, 2009
Recipe: Ultimate Lasagna
This recipe is just off the frackin' chart... I made this tonight for like the 4th time, but I made some modifications that sent it into the stratosphere... total comfort food :)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. ground sirloin
1 large eggplant
5 cups (32 oz.) of diced tomatoes
1 cup (8 oz.) of tomato paste
1 lb. baby spinach
1 large onion, diced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
6 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. red chili flakes
2 tsp. ground sage
2 tsp. ground oregano
2 tsp. dried tarragon
3 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
2 lbs. part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups romano cheese, shredded
2 cups parmesan cheese, shredded
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 lb. dry wide lasagna pasta (1 box)
3 tbsp. olive oil
Directions:
Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices and place into a colander. Liberally salt all of the slices and cover with a plate. Let the eggplant sweat and drain overnight in the sink.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the eggplant and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in all of the other ingredients except for the pasta, meat, eggs, and cheeses and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until the eggplant is mushy, stirring and mashing the ingredients together using a wooden spoon about every 10 minutes.
Cook the ground sirloin over medium high heat until browned. Add to the sauce mixture and stir to combine. Add the ricotta and stir vigorously until fully combined through. Add the beaten eggs and stir vigorously to combine through. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Take a large 13 x 9 baking dish and spray down with cooking spray. Place 1/3 of the sauce/meat mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 1/3 each of the parmesan and romano cheeses in an even spread. Top with 1/3 of the lasagna pasta sheets. Repeat this until you have a final layer of pasta on top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 10 large servings.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Recipe: Slow Roasted Chicken with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Ingredients:
2 lbs. of chicken thighs
2 1/2 cups of red wine
2 1/2 cups of chicken broth
3 tbsp. minced garlic
3 tsp. herbs de provence
4 jalapeno peppers
2 small sweet onions
4 small Italian eggplant
6 large heirloom tomatoes
5 tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
Directions:
Dice eggplant into small cubes. Place into a colander and sprinkle sea salt generously over the pieces. Let sit and wilt for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.
Dice the tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos into small pieces and place into a large dutch oven. Add the eggplant pieces, minced garlic, and herbs de provence. Add about 2 tsp. each of sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle 2 tbsp. of the olive oil over the vegetable mixture. Place on the stove on medium heat. Once the veggies begin to sizzle, add the red wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over the chicken thighs. Sear the chicken thighs in the oil for approximately 4 minutes on each side. Add the chicken thighs to the dutch oven making sure they are submerged in the liquid. Cover the dutch oven and place into the oven. Bake for 2 hours. Serve over angel hair pasta dressed with either butter or olive oil.
Makes 6 servings.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Recipe: Roasted Eggplant, Scallion, and Poached Chicken Pizza
I'm sure you can find a recipe online for pizza dough if you really want to make your own dough... but, I didn't have the patience to make my own dough this evening, so I used a great refrigerated pre-made pizza dough I picked up at Whole Foods. Makes this recipe come together a LOT quicker ;)
Ingredients:
14 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried sage
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
1 large eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast filets
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Place sliced eggplant slices flat onto a olive oil coated baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and drizzle olive oil over the top of all slices. Place into oven for about 30 minutes until the slices have browned.
In a large pot, place the chicken breasts and and fill with water until the breasts are fully covered plus 1 inch. Sprinkle kosher salt generally into the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue simmering for approximately 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and using forks shred the chicken finely. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, sage, and garlic together. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 12-13 inch diameter. Place the dough on a lightly oiled pizza pan and press the dough out to cover the diameter of the pan. Pour the tomato sauce mixture out onto the dough and using the bottom of a ladle, spread the sauce out evenly across the full surface of the dough. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese out evenly across the surface. Top with an evenly distributed layer of the roasted eggplant, poached shredded chicken, and the chopped scallions. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle the cracked red pepper evenly across the top.
Raise oven temperature to 450. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 - 16 minutes until the crust browns and the cheese is melted.
Makes 8 servings/slices.
Ingredients:
14 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried sage
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
1 large eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast filets
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Place sliced eggplant slices flat onto a olive oil coated baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and drizzle olive oil over the top of all slices. Place into oven for about 30 minutes until the slices have browned.
In a large pot, place the chicken breasts and and fill with water until the breasts are fully covered plus 1 inch. Sprinkle kosher salt generally into the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue simmering for approximately 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and using forks shred the chicken finely. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, sage, and garlic together. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 12-13 inch diameter. Place the dough on a lightly oiled pizza pan and press the dough out to cover the diameter of the pan. Pour the tomato sauce mixture out onto the dough and using the bottom of a ladle, spread the sauce out evenly across the full surface of the dough. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese out evenly across the surface. Top with an evenly distributed layer of the roasted eggplant, poached shredded chicken, and the chopped scallions. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle the cracked red pepper evenly across the top.
Raise oven temperature to 450. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 - 16 minutes until the crust browns and the cheese is melted.
Makes 8 servings/slices.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Recipe: Seafood Risotto
I made this for a friend of mine who was here a couple of weeks ago... and still have some in the freezer that I'll get around to eating ;). It turned out really well!
Ingredients:
1 lb. of 30 - 40 count shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. of small bay scallops
2/3 lb. of lump dungeness crab meat
2 cups of asparagus, blanched and diced
3 1/2 cups of arborio rice
1 1/2 cups of dry sherry
5 1/2 cups of chicken broth
4 tbsp. of butter
2 tsp. of salt
2 tsp. of white pepper
3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
3 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2/3 cup shredded parmesan
2/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola
2 tbsp. of olive oil
Directions:
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the seafood and stir to evenly distribute the butter. Add the salt, white pepper, minced garlic, and dried oregano. Continue stirring frequently, cooking the seafood. All of the seafood should cook in about 8 - 10 minutes. When the shrimp turn a nice shade of pink, you know you're done. Add the fresh basil and tarragon, stir to incorporate and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the arborio rice to the oil and stir to coat all rice kernels with the oil. Continue heating and turning frequently until the rice starts to turn a light brown color. Not all rice kernels will turn brown, but you don't want any getting too brown - those will be burnt! Once the rice has started to turn color, add the dry sherry to the pot and stir to incorporate. Continue stirring until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice - but not so much that the rice starts sticking to the bottom of the pot! Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and repeat this process - stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Once absorbed, add another 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Continue this process until you're out of chicken broth and all of the liquid is absorbed.
Add the diced asparagus and the seafood mixture you completed earlier to the pot and stir to evenly incorporate. Add the parmesan and gorgonzola cheeses and stir to incorporate evenly. Turn off the heat and let sit for about 3 minutes. Serve as a main course.
Makes 8 main course servings.
Ingredients:
1 lb. of 30 - 40 count shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. of small bay scallops
2/3 lb. of lump dungeness crab meat
2 cups of asparagus, blanched and diced
3 1/2 cups of arborio rice
1 1/2 cups of dry sherry
5 1/2 cups of chicken broth
4 tbsp. of butter
2 tsp. of salt
2 tsp. of white pepper
3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
3 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2/3 cup shredded parmesan
2/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola
2 tbsp. of olive oil
Directions:
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the seafood and stir to evenly distribute the butter. Add the salt, white pepper, minced garlic, and dried oregano. Continue stirring frequently, cooking the seafood. All of the seafood should cook in about 8 - 10 minutes. When the shrimp turn a nice shade of pink, you know you're done. Add the fresh basil and tarragon, stir to incorporate and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the arborio rice to the oil and stir to coat all rice kernels with the oil. Continue heating and turning frequently until the rice starts to turn a light brown color. Not all rice kernels will turn brown, but you don't want any getting too brown - those will be burnt! Once the rice has started to turn color, add the dry sherry to the pot and stir to incorporate. Continue stirring until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice - but not so much that the rice starts sticking to the bottom of the pot! Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and repeat this process - stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Once absorbed, add another 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Continue this process until you're out of chicken broth and all of the liquid is absorbed.
Add the diced asparagus and the seafood mixture you completed earlier to the pot and stir to evenly incorporate. Add the parmesan and gorgonzola cheeses and stir to incorporate evenly. Turn off the heat and let sit for about 3 minutes. Serve as a main course.
Makes 8 main course servings.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Recipe: Turkey Scallopini over Sauted Spinach
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. of turkey breast tenderloins
1 cup flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs
2 tbsp. of half and half
9 oz. of fresh spinach
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup of canola oil
Directions:
Cut turkey tenderloins into 8 equal portions, put between two pieces of wax/parchment paper, and pound the crap out of them until they are flat (approx. 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick).
In a large plastic bag, mix the flour with the dry spices and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and half and half. Dip each turkey portion in the egg wash and then put into the plastic bag with the flour and spices. Shake vigorously to coat the turkey portions with the breading.
In one large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium to medium-high heat. Cooking in batches, place the turkey into the hot oil and fry about 4 minutes on each side. Place on paper towels to drain off excess oil.
In another skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute the garlic for about 3 minutes to open up its flavor. Add the fresh spinach to the skillet in batches tossing frequently to wilt. Once all the spinach is in the skillet and fully wilted, remove from heat.
Serve turkey over a bed of spinach.
(NOTE: you can make this exact same recipe using boneless, skinless chicken breast)
Makes 4 servings.
1 1/2 lb. of turkey breast tenderloins
1 cup flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs
2 tbsp. of half and half
9 oz. of fresh spinach
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup of canola oil
Directions:
Cut turkey tenderloins into 8 equal portions, put between two pieces of wax/parchment paper, and pound the crap out of them until they are flat (approx. 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick).
In a large plastic bag, mix the flour with the dry spices and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and half and half. Dip each turkey portion in the egg wash and then put into the plastic bag with the flour and spices. Shake vigorously to coat the turkey portions with the breading.
In one large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium to medium-high heat. Cooking in batches, place the turkey into the hot oil and fry about 4 minutes on each side. Place on paper towels to drain off excess oil.
In another skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute the garlic for about 3 minutes to open up its flavor. Add the fresh spinach to the skillet in batches tossing frequently to wilt. Once all the spinach is in the skillet and fully wilted, remove from heat.
Serve turkey over a bed of spinach.
(NOTE: you can make this exact same recipe using boneless, skinless chicken breast)
Makes 4 servings.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Review: My Delivery Boys
You thought you were gonna get some pics of hottie delivery boys in this post, now didn't you? ;) Well, I hate to disappoint you, but this post is actually about the nearby places that I depend upon to save my evenings on a regular basis with their wonderful and prompt delivery. Even though they rarely send cute delivery boys (those only seem to come from crap places like Domino's), they do send a good dinner!
Jasmine Tea House
When I first left my place in the Sunset, I was concerned that I was going to have to revert back to crap Chinese food for delivery. I was a bit spoiled having the excellent San Tung so near to my place over there. I took a chance on Jasmine Tea House after finding their menu hooked to my door handle one evening. While it doesn't quite match the level of San Tung, it comes so darn close that I always have a good meal from here. I always order way more food than I could ever eat 'cause I love leftovers - especially leftover chow mein (and theirs is one of my favorites). All of their dishes are quite good, but when I'm treating myself, I tilt towards the vegetarian and seafood dishes on the menu - especially the Singapore Fish. They are the best things on the menu. Their dim sum items are kinda ho hum (I'll stick to Yank Sing or Canton for my dim sum fix), but they get props for having dim sum available at any hour. However, they had me at the hot and sour soup - my personal "litmus test" for Chinese restaurants. It's wonderfully spicy and definitely a bit more sour than most - and I LOVE it. Really solid Chinese food here.
Serrano's Pizza
OK... relative to the East Coast, most pizza here on the West Coast is only ho-hum - unless you're going to the fancy schmanzy places like Delfina. And delivery pizza is usually a lot worse. I found Serrano's on the recommendation of a friend. They have a lot of cool specialty pizzas but the main thing I like is they have tons of toppings from which to choose to make your own pizza - including one of my favorites, roasted eggplant!!! But the major winner - the crust is not too thick or thin (West Coast pizza tends to have WAY too much crust) and it always arrives piping hot. Any leftover slices get frozen to become a pizza dinner later. Is it the best? No... but with so many options, I can always get what I want, and it's always tastier than any other pizza I've ever gotten delivered.
Little Nepal
I have been here many times as an evening diner. It's a quaint little place on Cortland at the top of Bernal Hill, so very close to my house. And then I found out they delivered... and I knew I was doomed... doomed to goodness!!! :) If you know nothing about Nepalese cuisine, it's very similar to Indian cuisine although it has elements of other East Asian cuisines swirled in. Their chicken in spicy tomato cream sauce is one of my favorites. The little side dishes they serve with the entrees (dal, curried veggies, naan) are all excellent. I also think their seafood dishes are quite excellent. Given there's not really any good traditional Northern Indian cuisine available near my house, I'm so glad that I found out Little Nepal delivers!!!
Regent Thai
Three words: Spicy Red Snapper. Oh, my mercy - this dish is just pure heaven. They lightly bread and fry New Zealand red snapper filet and top it with a spicy/sweet red pepper sauce - it is by far one of my favorite dishes EVER. All of the standards are also spot on - pad thai, red or green curries, etc. But, I'm telling you - you MUST have the snapper. It is so, so good.
Lotus Garden
I almost fainted when I found out I could get yummy Vietnamese noodle soups (pho) and vermicelli dishes (bun) for delivery. I am a pho fanatic - all the beef versions, chicken, seafood - I've had them all. The delicious broth with rice noodles that put the meat, fresh mint leaves, cilantro, bean sprouts, jalapenos, and hot sauce into and then slop up. The portion they send me is so big it makes two meals - because I can't order anything from there without getting their Imperial Rolls and their BBQ Pork Rolls. The Imperial Rolls are stuffed with carrots, rice noodles, shrimp, and pork and then deep fried, that you wrap with lettuce leaves, mint, sprouts, carrots, and cucumbers that are served on the side and dip into fresh nuoc cham (fish sauce). So yummy! And the BBQ Pork Rolls are stuffed with BBQ'ed lemon grass pork loin meat, rice noodles, mint, and cilantro and served with nuoc cham. They are also lovely. I just found this place like a few weeks ago, so I'll explore more of the menu and let you know. But, this is one of my new favorites.
Jasmine Tea House
When I first left my place in the Sunset, I was concerned that I was going to have to revert back to crap Chinese food for delivery. I was a bit spoiled having the excellent San Tung so near to my place over there. I took a chance on Jasmine Tea House after finding their menu hooked to my door handle one evening. While it doesn't quite match the level of San Tung, it comes so darn close that I always have a good meal from here. I always order way more food than I could ever eat 'cause I love leftovers - especially leftover chow mein (and theirs is one of my favorites). All of their dishes are quite good, but when I'm treating myself, I tilt towards the vegetarian and seafood dishes on the menu - especially the Singapore Fish. They are the best things on the menu. Their dim sum items are kinda ho hum (I'll stick to Yank Sing or Canton for my dim sum fix), but they get props for having dim sum available at any hour. However, they had me at the hot and sour soup - my personal "litmus test" for Chinese restaurants. It's wonderfully spicy and definitely a bit more sour than most - and I LOVE it. Really solid Chinese food here.
Serrano's Pizza
OK... relative to the East Coast, most pizza here on the West Coast is only ho-hum - unless you're going to the fancy schmanzy places like Delfina. And delivery pizza is usually a lot worse. I found Serrano's on the recommendation of a friend. They have a lot of cool specialty pizzas but the main thing I like is they have tons of toppings from which to choose to make your own pizza - including one of my favorites, roasted eggplant!!! But the major winner - the crust is not too thick or thin (West Coast pizza tends to have WAY too much crust) and it always arrives piping hot. Any leftover slices get frozen to become a pizza dinner later. Is it the best? No... but with so many options, I can always get what I want, and it's always tastier than any other pizza I've ever gotten delivered.
Little Nepal
I have been here many times as an evening diner. It's a quaint little place on Cortland at the top of Bernal Hill, so very close to my house. And then I found out they delivered... and I knew I was doomed... doomed to goodness!!! :) If you know nothing about Nepalese cuisine, it's very similar to Indian cuisine although it has elements of other East Asian cuisines swirled in. Their chicken in spicy tomato cream sauce is one of my favorites. The little side dishes they serve with the entrees (dal, curried veggies, naan) are all excellent. I also think their seafood dishes are quite excellent. Given there's not really any good traditional Northern Indian cuisine available near my house, I'm so glad that I found out Little Nepal delivers!!!
Regent Thai
Three words: Spicy Red Snapper. Oh, my mercy - this dish is just pure heaven. They lightly bread and fry New Zealand red snapper filet and top it with a spicy/sweet red pepper sauce - it is by far one of my favorite dishes EVER. All of the standards are also spot on - pad thai, red or green curries, etc. But, I'm telling you - you MUST have the snapper. It is so, so good.
Lotus Garden
I almost fainted when I found out I could get yummy Vietnamese noodle soups (pho) and vermicelli dishes (bun) for delivery. I am a pho fanatic - all the beef versions, chicken, seafood - I've had them all. The delicious broth with rice noodles that put the meat, fresh mint leaves, cilantro, bean sprouts, jalapenos, and hot sauce into and then slop up. The portion they send me is so big it makes two meals - because I can't order anything from there without getting their Imperial Rolls and their BBQ Pork Rolls. The Imperial Rolls are stuffed with carrots, rice noodles, shrimp, and pork and then deep fried, that you wrap with lettuce leaves, mint, sprouts, carrots, and cucumbers that are served on the side and dip into fresh nuoc cham (fish sauce). So yummy! And the BBQ Pork Rolls are stuffed with BBQ'ed lemon grass pork loin meat, rice noodles, mint, and cilantro and served with nuoc cham. They are also lovely. I just found this place like a few weeks ago, so I'll explore more of the menu and let you know. But, this is one of my new favorites.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Recipe: Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound eggplant, cut into thick strips
1 bell pepper, red, diced
6 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp. white vinegar
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. dry sherry
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. chili oil
2 tbsp. Sriracha (Vietnamese garlic/chili sauce)
2 tbsp. dark sesame oil
3 tbsp. canola oil
12 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup scallions, finely chopped, white and green parts
Directions:
In a colander, toss eggplant strips with the cornstarch to coat evenly. In a bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, white vinegar, rice vinegar, dry sherry, chili oil, Sriracha, dark sesame oil, and minced garlic together. Whisk to combine. Heat the canola oil in a wok over high heat. Once oil is hot, add the eggplant strips. Saute them, turning frequently, until they are lightly browned - about 6 - 7 minutes. Add the sauce mixture, reduce the heat to medium, and continue stirring. The sauce will begin to thicken (feel free to add an additional 1 tsp. of cornstarch if it does not thicken to your liking). Once the sauce is thickened, add the bell pepper and scallions and mix together to combine. Remove from heat and serve.
Variation:
Add 8 - 12 oz. of cubed firm tofu to the oil in the wok first. Once it starts to brown, then add the eggplant and follow the directions above.
Makes about 4 servings.
1 1/2 pound eggplant, cut into thick strips
1 bell pepper, red, diced
6 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp. white vinegar
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. dry sherry
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. chili oil
2 tbsp. Sriracha (Vietnamese garlic/chili sauce)
2 tbsp. dark sesame oil
3 tbsp. canola oil
12 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup scallions, finely chopped, white and green parts
Directions:
In a colander, toss eggplant strips with the cornstarch to coat evenly. In a bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, white vinegar, rice vinegar, dry sherry, chili oil, Sriracha, dark sesame oil, and minced garlic together. Whisk to combine. Heat the canola oil in a wok over high heat. Once oil is hot, add the eggplant strips. Saute them, turning frequently, until they are lightly browned - about 6 - 7 minutes. Add the sauce mixture, reduce the heat to medium, and continue stirring. The sauce will begin to thicken (feel free to add an additional 1 tsp. of cornstarch if it does not thicken to your liking). Once the sauce is thickened, add the bell pepper and scallions and mix together to combine. Remove from heat and serve.
Variation:
Add 8 - 12 oz. of cubed firm tofu to the oil in the wok first. Once it starts to brown, then add the eggplant and follow the directions above.
Makes about 4 servings.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Recipe: Fusilli with Chicken and Tomatoes
Can you tell I'm having a very lazy Sunday? I'm on a cooking spree!!! Yes, I skipped the Folsom Street Fair this year. I've seen enough nekkid grandpas to last me at least 4 reincarnations so I decided to hide at home with my pooch this year. Anyways, on to the recipe...
Ingredients:
1 lb. dry fusilli pasta
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups diced roma tomatoes (approximately 6 - 7 tomatoes)
1 cup diced heirloom tomatoes (approximately 1 - 2 tomatoes; I used a yellow one and a purple one)
1 cup canned unflavored tomato sauce
3 tbsp. of minced garlic
2 tbsp. of chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp. of chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. of dried oregano
1 tsp. of sea salt
1/2 - 2/3 tsp. of cracked red pepper flakes (I use 2/3 'cause I like a little heat ;))
1 1/2 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast
Directions:
Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil to a big pot of water, bring to a boil, and cook fusilli according to package directions.
Cut the chicken breast into cubes. In a separate large pan, heat the remaining two tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sautee until the garlic is cooked (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the chicken breast and cook until cooked through and browned on all sides. Once the chicken is cooked, add the tomatoes, oregano, sea salt, and cracked red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 7 - 8 minutes.
Drain the pasta and pour into a large bowl. Add the chicken and tomato mixture along with the fresh basil and sage, mix thoroughly, let stand about 2 minutes to let flavors combine. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.
Makes about 6 servings.
Ingredients:
1 lb. dry fusilli pasta
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups diced roma tomatoes (approximately 6 - 7 tomatoes)
1 cup diced heirloom tomatoes (approximately 1 - 2 tomatoes; I used a yellow one and a purple one)
1 cup canned unflavored tomato sauce
3 tbsp. of minced garlic
2 tbsp. of chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp. of chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. of dried oregano
1 tsp. of sea salt
1/2 - 2/3 tsp. of cracked red pepper flakes (I use 2/3 'cause I like a little heat ;))
1 1/2 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast
Directions:
Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil to a big pot of water, bring to a boil, and cook fusilli according to package directions.
Cut the chicken breast into cubes. In a separate large pan, heat the remaining two tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sautee until the garlic is cooked (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the chicken breast and cook until cooked through and browned on all sides. Once the chicken is cooked, add the tomatoes, oregano, sea salt, and cracked red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 7 - 8 minutes.
Drain the pasta and pour into a large bowl. Add the chicken and tomato mixture along with the fresh basil and sage, mix thoroughly, let stand about 2 minutes to let flavors combine. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.
Makes about 6 servings.
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