Recipe

Cooking With Curry

~ Jonathan H ~ Leave a comment

I love coming up with new ways to cook with some of my favorite ingredients, especially comfort foods. To me, a big wok full of curry is super comforting and was one of the dishes I made all the time when I moved into my first solo apartment. It’s warm, earthy, spicy and makes me feel good all over. Plus, it’s amazing for leftovers! So, when Mama Lam’s, a local food vendor making and selling their own Malaysian Curry Paste that I had the pleasure of meeting at the annual Queens Taste, event contacted me about partnering up, I was excited. I couldn’t wait to try cooking with their homemade, Malaysian curry paste and curating a couple of dishes to use their product in.

Photo May 26, 7 48 44 PM (1)

I decided to create a curry themed meal featuring Mama Lam’s Curry Paste two ways—a Pistachio Crusted Curry Salmon and a Curry Noodles with Crispy Tofu. Check out the recipes below and also watch my YouTube cooking demo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PCoQ8uLQYU.

Photo May 26, 7 48 59 PM (1)

Pistachio Crusted Curry Salmon

  • 4-6 salmon filets (skin on)Photo May 26, 4 41 17 PM
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped finelyPhoto May 26, 4 43 42 PM
  • 1/2 jar of Mama Lam’s curry paste
  • 1 tbsp Sambal Olek or another Southeast Asian chili sauce—Sriracha works fine.
    • I recommend not skipping this ingredient, even if you don’t like spicy food. The fish has a warming heat and it is very much tempered by the coconut milk and acidity of the lime juice
  • 1/2 can of coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 tbsp of ginger, chopped
  • 1 stalk of lemongrass, cut into pieces–you can also use 1/2 tbsp of chopped lemongrass from a tube. You’ll find this near the fresh herbs in the marketPhoto May 26, 4 42 29 PM
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 cups of roasted pistachios, shell removed
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/2 tbsp of black pepper
  1. Create a marinade with the chili sauce, ginger, garlic, lime juice, coconut milk, lemongrass, oil, salt and pepperPhoto May 26, 4 48 24 PMPhoto May 26, 4 49 46 PM
  2. Marinade the salmon for at least an hour and up to 4 hours
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  4. Crush the pistachios with either your hands or a mallet. A rolling pin works well too—this is very cathartic and a great way to take out your aggression. Ha!
  5. After the fish has soaked, dip the salmon into the pistachios and coat on sides and top with the nuts
  6. Place the salmon skin side down on a greased baking pan and bake for 20 minutes until the crust is set—The fish should be cooked through, but still a bit pink in the center and very moist. It will continue cooking for a few minutes once it comes out of the oven
  7. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice over the topPhoto May 26, 7 48 29 PM (1)
  8. This fish is delicious served all on its own with a fresh salad or some roasted asparagus, but is even better with some Curry Noodles!

Curry Noodles with Crispy Tofu

  • 1 package of firm tofu, 14oz
  • 1 pound of broad rice noodles
  • 2 bell peppers, chopped
  • 2 yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 eggplant—chopped into bite sized pieces. I love to use Japanese or graffiti eggplant for this dish not only because of the beautiful color, but also because it has less water in it than an Italian eggplant, so it’ll be sweeter and stay firmer when cooked downPhoto May 26, 5 04 02 PM
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 tbsp of fish sauce
  • 1/2 jar of Mama Lam’s curry paste
  • 1 tbsp of Sambal Olek chili sauce
  • 1 bunch of scallions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)—also called green onion or spring onion in some supermarkets
  • 1 can of coconut milk—do not use reduced fat as the texture and thickness of the sauce will be off. Plus, coconut milk is a healthy fat
  • Vegetable or peanut oil—any high heat oil will do such as canola, corn, grapeseed oil, etc.Photo May 26, 7 14 11 PMPhoto May 26, 5 02 58 PMPhoto May 26, 5 05 58 PM
  1. The first step of this dish is to make the crispy tofu—who doesn’t like their tofu crispy?
  1. Tofu has a lot of water, which is why it usually tastes bland. In fact, the biggest mistake that most cooks make when handling tofu is not getting rid of the excess water. This will never work! Even if you just want to marinade the tofu you’ll still  need to do this stepPhoto May 26, 4 40 18 PM
  2. Put the tofu between two paper towels and press. Repeat this process 2-3 times, and then let the tofu sit between the towels for at least 20 minutes to really draw out the moisture
  3. Heat up your wok until it starts to smoke a little, then add the oil. It’s important that you don’t add your oil before this as you don’t want it to bubble up and burn youPhoto May 26, 7 14 05 PM
  4. Add the tofu to the wok and spread it out in a single layer—you should hear it sizzle. If there’s no sizzle, then your wok isn’t hot enough and your tofu will steam instead of crisp up
  5. Let the tofu cook on one side for a couple min, then mix it up and repeat this process a few times until it’s crispy on all sides. This shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes or so
  6. Put your tofu on a plate and place aside for later on
  7. Heat your wok back up on the stove while you get the rest of your ingredients ready
  8. Add some more oil, then add the garlic, ginger and scallions—this is the holy trinity of Asian dishes!
  9. Let these sauté for a minute, then add the curry paste and heat through, followed by the onions, peppers and eggplant
  10. Let the veggies cook for a few minutes, then add the fish sauce, chili sauce and coconut milk and stir until it becomes a homogenized sauce
  11. Cook the curry for at least 10 minutes or longer depending on how thick you like your sauce—as it cooks the flavors of the salty fish sauce, spicy chilis, earthy curry and more will concentrate
  12. Meanwhile, drop the rice noodles into some salted boiling water—off the heat—and let soak for 5 minutes
  13. Add the par-cooked noodles to the curry and toss together in the wok
  14. Let the noodles and curry cook together as the noodles absorb the sauce and meld together into one cohesive dish
  15. Garnish with the crispy tofu, fresh cilantro, chopped scallions, and some chopped peanuts or pistachios if you’d like to tie the two dishes together even more
  16. Eat while still hot or add some sesame oil and have as a cold salad the next day for lunch. Yum!

Enjoy these dishes together with a Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad for a fabulous Southeast Asian inspired dinner at home.

Photo May 26, 7 48 50 PM (1).jpg

You can order Mama Lam’s delicious Curry Paste here: https://www.mamalams.com/shop-1/curry-sau

To watch the cooking demo for these recipes, click here or watch below.

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Recipe: Sesame Crusted Tuna with Peanut Noodles and Spicy Cucumber Salad

~ Jonathan H ~ 1 Comment

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Having eaten such fresh and delicious seafood in Seattle a couple of weeks ago, especially at Shucker’s, I was inspired to make my work fish dinner at home. Everything that comes out of kg kitchen has a twist though, so here’s my idea of a delicious fish dinner for company or family. Sushi grade tuna is marinated in a salty, spicy mix of soy, ginger and chili, then crusted in sesame and seared. To go with the tuna is a spicy cucumber salad, and peanut noodles that are so easy to make, you’ll be wondering why you’ve ordered them from takeout all these  years.

Sesame Crusted Tuna:

  • 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce—the fish sauce is already salty, so a lower sodium soy is better. A sweet soy sauce like tamari would work nicely too
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon of Sambal Olek—an Indonesian red chili paste flavored with salt and vinegar. It is very spicy, without the sweetness associated with sriracha sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon of fresh ginger
  • 1/3 of bunch of scallions, sliced
  • 3-4 large sushi-grade tuna steaks–I recommend you splurge for the high end tuna. Trust me, you’ll taste the difference
  • 2 large bulbs of baby bok choy
  1. Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, sambal, ginger, and scallions in a medium bowl
  2. Add the tuna to the marinade, and let the fish sit in the marinade for 1-2 hours to absorb the flavors of the sauceDSC00301
  3. Remove the fish from the marinade, and shake off excess liquidDSC00313
  4. While the fish is slightly wet, drip it into sesame seeds and crust both sides with sesame
  5. In a sauté pan, heat up some vegetable oil on medium heat, and get the tuna ready
  6. Cook the tuna steaks for about two minute per side—pay attention because it cooks fast, and higher quality tuna is best cooked rare
  7. Sauté some baby bok choy with garlic and excess fish marinadeDSC00317 DSC00319
  8. To serve: lay the bok chy on a big platter, and then set the sesame crusted tuna atop the bok choyDSC00327

Peanut Noodles:

  • 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
  • 3 heaping tablespoons of (crunchy) peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup of warm water
  • 1 box of angel hair pasta
  • 2/3 bunch of scallions, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon of white sesame seed
  1. Combine the first 6 ingredients and whisk together until it becomes a thick, homogeneous sauce—a blender or food processor works as well, but I like the texture that the nut pieces give to the sauce when it’s hand mixedDSC00303
  2. Chill the sauce for at least 20-30 minutesDSC00318
  3. Cook the pasta according to package directions, and drain wellDSC00320 DSC00321 DSC00322
  4. Toss the hot pasta with the sauce, sesame seeds and scallions
  5. Chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator
  6. Serve in a big bowl, garnished with chopped scallions, and some chopsticksDSC00329

Spicy Cucumber Salad

  • 2 hot house cucumbers–also known as English or seedless cucumbers. I like this variety of cucumber since it’s longer and the skin is much thinner, so you can eat it easily. Plus is has much less seeds and comes prewashedDSC00307
  • 1 tablespoon of sambal olek
  • 1/2 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon of white sesame seeds, for garnish
  1. Chop the cucumbers—skin on—into half moon piecesDSC00304
  2. In a bowl, combine the sambal, sesame oil, soy sauce and vinegarDSC00312
  3. Toss the cucumbers with the sauce and let sit for at least 20 minutes—the longer it sits, the more the cucumbers will expel liquid, and absorb the flavors of the sauceDSC00315
  4. Serve garnished with sesame seeds over the top on a bright plateDSC00316

This is a wonderful meal to serve for dinner to your family–like I did–or use it to wow your dinner guests as you take them on a culinary tour of Asia. Leftovers from all three of these dishes will taste even better the next day!

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Key Lime Pie

~ Jonathan H ~ Leave a comment

I learned pretty late in the day that people were coming over for  offer and dessert after dinner. I didn’t want to just serve them fruit or store bought cookies, and decided on one of my favorite pies–key lime pie. This recipe is derivative of many other basic key lime pie recipes, so I can’t take credit for the idea. Sometimes you just don’t want to mess with a classic. I made 2 pies, so the ingredient amounts were doubled, but I’m listing it as a single pie recipe. This dessert is delicious all on its own, but tastes even better with a big dollop of homemade whipped cream!

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Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 1 sleeve of graham crackers
  • 6 tablespoons of melted butter
  • 1/4 cup of white sugar

Filling:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 whole eggs
  • Lime zest—zest the whole lime, but reserve a few pinches for later
  • 1/2 cup of key lime juice—I might have to turn in my foodie card, but I actually like the sweet tanginess of bottled key lime juice. Just make sure it’s a quality brand!
  • 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

To Make the Pie:

  1. Mix together the crust ingredients until they take on the texture of wet sand
  2. Press the mixture into a pie tin or dish and bake at 325 degrees for about 10-12 minutes
  3. Let the crust completely cool before proceeding to the next stepDSC00282DSC00284DSC00285DSC00286
  4. For the filling, combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix until it becomes a homogenous blendDSC00291 DSC00292
  5. Pour into pie crust so that it goes almost to the top edge, but leave a slight border all around so you can see the crust. Plus it saves room for whip cream!DSC00293
  6. Chill for 10 minutes to slightly set, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees
  7. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes—make sure it doesn’t brownDSC00333
  8. Immediately transfer from the oven to the fridge for at least 3 hours, and up to overnightDSC00339
  9. Garnish with whip cream, a sprig of mint, and a sprinkle some reserved lime zest before serving

Homemade Pita Chips

~ Jonathan H ~ 3 Comments

One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is to experiment, and, of course, make my own version of restaurant dishes at home. Earlier in the day, I had gotten some Indian food for lunch, and of course eaten some fluffy, warm naan bread. The best part of naan—for me at least—is that you can use it to mop up the delicious curries and sauces. So, I asked myself, “What can I dip into my leftover lamb sauce?” Then it hit me—pita! But, plain pita is boring, so what about pita chips? These were so easy to make it’s ridiculous. Make these pita chips at home, and you’ll never feel like buying them at the store again. This recipe yields 18 chips, but feel free to make much, much more!

  • 3 whole pita breads
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley–I happened to have fresh herbs for another recipe, but dried herbs would work just as well
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  1. Cut each pita in half lengthwiseDSC00243
  2. Cut each half into 3 equal sized wedgesDSC00242
  3. Mix the parsley, rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper with the oil
  4. Let the herb oil mixture sit for about 15 minutes, and set the oven to 300 degreesDSC00246
  5. Toss the pita triangles with the herb oil to lightly coat, and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet
  6. Bake the pita chips for about 20-22 minutes, or until they are browned and crisped upDSC00256
  7. Allow the chips to cool before consuming with hummus, guacamole, onion dip, or delicious braising liquid from lamb shanks!DSC00259

Recipe: Braised Lamb Shanks with Moroccan Lemon Couscous

~ Jonathan H ~ 1 Comment

I recently attended the 2015 International Food Bloggers’ Conference in Seattle, organized by Foodista. Until I actually got on the plane, I was waffling back and forth on whether to actually go. I kept thinking to myself—will they like me? Does my blog have a relevant and unique voice? Will I learn anything? As a matter of fact, I had an amazing time and learned so much. So much so, that you should expect to see a major uptick in the frequency of blog posts 🙂

2015-09-19 16.37.06One of my favorite sessions was all about lamb. We got to hear all about the versatility of lamb, the variety of cuts available, insider cooking and butchery tips, and even got to sample some delicious lamb pate, lamb’s cheese and cold smoked lamb loin. Yum! So, when I got home, I was inspired to put my own spin on a lamb dinner. While lamb chops and rack of lamb might be more prevalent, and often seen on your favorite steakhouse’s menu, lamb shanks are the unsung hero of the lamb family. All they need is a little TLC and time, and they become tender, succulent and out of this world delicious. My version of braised lamb shanks is great for entertaining guests at an elegant dinner party, impressing that special someone, or even cooking for your family—perfect for the slow cooker! I serve mine with Moroccan inspired, lemon couscous and homemade pita chips (see recipe here), but feel free to substitute mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or any number of sides. Enjoy!

DSC00271DSC00209Ingredients:

  • 4 medium to large lamb shanks—you should be able to find these in the meat section of your grocery store, but if not, then you could just ask your butcher. Short ribs could be a good substitute, but they won’t have the same presentation
  • 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of AP (all-purpose) flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sliced onion—minced onion works fine too
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 1 bunch of fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 package of fresh mint
  • 2 large Spanish onions, chopped
  • 5-6 large carrots, cut into chunks
  • 5 medium garlic cloves (or 4 large cloves), chopped
  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained
  • 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 lb. package of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups of red wine—use something you’d drink, since the flavor will end up concentrating as you cook out the alcohol
  • 4 1/2 cups of chicken, veal or beef stock—I only had chicken broth, but veal or beef is really the best to use in this recipe
  • 2 lemons
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 2 cups of couscous
  • 1/4 cup of slivered almonds
  • 1/2 cup of dried dates, halved or quartered

Lamb Shanks:

  1. Pat the lamb dry, this will help them stay moist when you cook itDSC00218
  2. Mix the flour, cinnamon, pepper, salt, turmeric, dried parsley, dried onion, cumin, and a teaspoon of chopped rosemary (about 1 sprig) in a medium-sized bowl
  3. Coat the lamb in the seasoned flour mixture—this will do double duty for you by helping make a crust on the lamb, and also thicken up the braising liquid into a sauce later on
  4. In a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot heat oil—use a neutral oil since you’ll require a very high cooking temperature to sear the outside of the meatDSC00220
  5. Add the lamb shanks—in batches if necessary—and brown for a few minutes on all sides. Contrary to popular belief, the sear does not “lock in the juices,” rather it helps make a great crust and caramelizes the spices on the outside of the meat DSC00223 DSC00224 DSC00225DSC00226
  6. Once the shanks have browned take them out and put aside on a plate—don’t clean out the pot. All of those delicious drippings and brown bits on the bottom of the pan = flavor!DSC00227 DSC00228DSC00229
  7. Add a bit more oil and add in the chopped carrots and sauté for another couple of minutes, then add the garlic and one onion to the potDSC00230
  8. Cook for a few more minutes, and then add the chickpeasDSC00232
  9. Once the veggies have started to brown, it’s time to deglaze the pan—deglazing means you add liquid (in this case tomatoes, wine and broth) in order to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot
  10. Add the crushed tomatoes, and bring to a simmer
  11. Add about 1 1/2 cups of red wine and 1 cup of the stockDSC00239
  12. When it starts to bubble slightly, it’s time to add the lamb back in, and don’t forget the meat juices DSC00235Add the roasted tomatoes, as well as a few sprigs of rosemary and parsley to the pot and give it a big stir
  13. Let the pot simmer on medium for about 20-25 minutes uncovered—this helps cook out the taste of raw broth and wine. Give it another big stir and move the lamb and veggies all around the pot
  14. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to medium low and let it braise for at least 2 hours—you should stir the pot every 25-30 minutes, but don’t mess with it too much. This is important spa time for your meaDSC00263
  15. After a couple of hours, the meat will super tender and following off the bone—In fact, your shank bones should look like they’ve been frenched, which means the end of the bone is cleaned of meat so you can hold it like when you order rack of lamb at a fancy restaurant DSC00265
  16. Remove  the lamb shanks, and crank the heat back up to medium to medium high for another 5 minutes uncovered. The sauce will continue to thicken a bitDSC00267
  17. Plate the lamb shank with the bone prominently displayed, and smother the meat with the braising liquid that’s chock full of carrots, herbs, onion, garlic, chickpeas and meat that’s fallen off the boneDSC00269
  18. Garnish with the gremolata, and serve alongside some couscous and some homemade pita chip for dipping

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Gremolata:

  1. Mix together about 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of chopped rosemary (about 2 sprigs), and zest of a lemonDSC00245 DSC00254
  2. Use as garnish for heavy dishes, and add when it’s still hot—the gremolata will not only help cut through the richness of the dish, but also perfume the plate as the heat slightly cooks the herbs and lemon peel

Couscous:

I like my couscous a little more moist and stuffing-esqe as opposed to many recipes that like each of the couscous pearls to be separate from each other. Try it my way, and if you don’t like it, then go back to the other way next timeDSC00255

  1. In a medium-sized pot, add some oil
  2. Add the remaining onion to the pot and start to sweat the onions
  3. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprikaDSC00258
  4. Saute the onion until it starts to brown and caramelize
  5. At this point, add 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock and the juice of both lemons to the pot. Increase the heat to medium or medium-high
  6. Bring the liquid to a boil, and then add the couscous. Stir to make sure all of the couscous is covered, and not sticking together
  7. Turn the heat off and cover the couscous
  8. After 4 minutes, add the dates, slivered almonds, as well as the remaining parsley and mint
  9. If the couscous seems dry or not soft enough for you after 5 minutes, add some more stock or lemon juice, stir and cover again for a few minutesDSC00261 DSC00262
  10. Serve the couscous garnished with some lemon slices and a squeeze of lemon over the top

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Recipe: Bagels and Lox Pizza

~ Jonathan H ~ Leave a comment

I’m home this weekend for the Passover holiday aka “no carb week,” and many of my memories revolve around food. Since I grew up in New York City, Sunday mornings in our house usually consisted of bagels, lox, cream cheese, whitefish and more appetizing if company was coming. I was inspired to share my recipe for a modern twist one the classic bagel and lox sandwich.

 Lox is simply smoked salmon that has also been cured. It’s usually salty, and is a New York classic. My pizza recipe will help you stretch your lox farther, and this is a great dish to entertain with. Your guests will be so impressed with your creativity! 😉 Salmon, dill, lemon and creme fraiche come together to form an elegant dish that’s great for brunch, dinner or any time of the day!

Ingredients:

1 ball of pizza dough – you can make your own dough, but I find it easier to buy premade dough from the grocery store. You can also ask your local pizza place for a ball of dough, if you really love their crust. Most will sell it to you with no problem

1 container of crème fraiche

1 large lemon

2 tablespoons of capers, drained

1 medium to large shallot, chopped

 

 4-6oz of smoked salmon, roughly chopped

Fresh dill, chopped

Sesame seeds

Granulated garlic or garlic powder

To Make the Pizza:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and if using a pizza stone, place it in the oven
  2. Grease your pizza pan with cooking spray all over
  3. In the meantime, stretch the dough by hand. Slowly start pulling the dough outward
  4. After it is stretched a bit, then use both hand and pass the dough through your hands, and slowly pull it a bit as you pass it through. It might feel like it will break, but the dough is strong, just keep going until its much wider
  5. Once the dough is very stretched, place it on your pizza pan and stretch it out to the edge. If it springs back, then use your fingers to push into the dough all over to keep it steady. In addition, poke it all over with a fork to stop it from rising too much in the oven. You want pizza, not bread!
  6. Once the dough is stretched to the edge of the pan, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top and make sure the whole top of the pizza has a light coating of oil
  7. Sprinkle the dough with garlic—use as much as you want, but I don’t recommend any more than a fine layer all over since it will overpower the salmon
  8. (Optional) On the outer edge of the dough, where the crust forms, sprinkle a layer of sesame seeds–this step is optional, but it’s a nod to the bagel inspiration behind this pizza. I like sesame bagels, but this would be great with some poppy seeds, and delicious with some eveeything seasoning if your local bagelry will part with some 
  9. Pop the dough into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes  
  10. Remove the pizza crust and allow it to cool for at least 15-20 minutes. You might want to put it in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes if you’re in a rush  
  11. Once the crust has cooled, zest the lemon and add it to the crème fraiche. Mix well to evenly distribute  
  12. Spread the crème fraiche mixture all over the crust, leaving the sesame seed lined crust as a border of the pizza
  13. Sprinkle the pizza with some salt and a good amount of freshly ground black pepper  
  14. Allow the crème fraiche to set, and then spread your pieces of smoked salmon around the pizza. A nice single layer is best and will make sure your crust can hold all of the ingredients  
  15. Drain the capers, and sprinkle around the pizza—they will most likely fall into the crevices between the salmon pieces  
  16. Repeat this process with the chopped shallots—I like shallots since they’re not as strong as onions in terms of flavor, but give a nice onion-y flavor to the pizza. If you want a more mild onion taste, then chopped scallions are a good substitute. If you want something with a little more of a bite, then red onion is always great as well—just remember, raw onion is not as sweet or mild as cooked
  17. Scatter the dill all over the pizza. If some pieces are smaller or larger than others, that’s fine. I like my pizza a little more rustic, since it shows that it’s homemade!
  18. Add another pinch of black pepper and squeeze the juice of ½ of the lemon over the top  
  19. Use a pizza cutter, or a very sharp chef’s knife, to cut the pizza into 8 pieces    

Serve garnished with the other ½ of the lemon cut into wedges. Enjoy!

Gastropub Night at Home

~ Jonathan H ~ Leave a comment

French Onion Burger with “German” Potato Salad

I was inspired to make this burger after a recent trip to Shake Shack (see next post) and thought I should make myself a great burger at home. The idea of the French Onion burger is actually a play on this amazing burger they have at a gastropub chain in the Los Angeles area called Father’s Office. The burger reminded me of French Onion soup, and gave off a very bistro vibe. They paired their burger with shoestring fries, and allowed no substitutions, but I’m pairing mine with potato salad. Mine is a twist on a traditional German potato salad, but incorporates many of the same flavors. Perfect for a picnic since there’s no mayo, but also great to make a whole bowl for yourself. I even use leftover potato salad to mimic a hash and top it with some chunks of avocado, a squirt of sriracha sauce, and a couple of fried eggs for brunch the next day.

Burger Ingredients

2/3 pound of ground beef—I used 75/25, which means the meat blend is 75% beef and 25% fat. I wouldn’t go with anything less than 80/20 because your burger may then dry out. If you do decide to use lean or extra lean ground beef, or something a naturally lean meat like turkey, then I would suggest cutting the meat with some ground bacon, just ask the butcher to do it for you, or pulse in the food processor.

Granulated garlic

Caramelized onions

1 small avocado, ripe

Arugula

2 packets of Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese (French Onion flavor)FullSizeRender-12

Gruyere cheese

1/3 of a French baguette or 1 mini baguette—this would also be good with a seeded Italian roll or Ciabatta. I liked the baguette because the who burger seemed very French to me. If making multiple burgers, feel free to use a whole baguette

Potato Salad Ingredients:

5-6 small red potatoes, halved

5 medium Golden potatoes, cut into chunks—this recipe uses what I had in my pantry, but you can use about 2-3 pounds of any kind of waxy potato (my favorite is Yukon Gold)

1 cup of salt pork or pancetta, cut into cubes

2 medium shallots, chopped fine

3 cloves of garlic, minced

½ cup of apple cider vinegar—traditional recipes usually call for white vinegar, but I feel that the apple cider vinegar is a little sweeter and has a little bit more of sour taste

2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon of sugar

1 heaping tablespoon of whole grain dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons of olive oil

To Make the Potato Salad:

  1. In a large pot, place the potatoes and enough water to cover them with a good amount of salt.
  2. Heat the potato pot on high heat until they start boiling, then reduce heat to medium to medium-high heat and continue on a low boil for at 15 minutes
  3. Test the potatoes with a knife. If the knife slides in easily then they are done. Don’t worry, you can always just taste one if you’re unsure
  4. Drain the potatoes and set aside
  5. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat until hot, but not smokingFullSizeRender-9
  6. Add salt pork to the pan and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to spread the cubes in a single layer—this will help them brown evenly and prevent burning. Stir every couple of minutesFullSizeRender-11
  7. When all of the pieces are browned all over, remove from the pan, but leave the fat from the pork in the pan—flavor! Drain the pork on a piece of paper towel. While you prepare the rest of the ingredients the pork will crisp up
  8. In the same pan, add the shallots and garlicFullSizeRender-14
  9. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper each, and 1 teaspoon of sugar
  10. Cook the shallots and garlic until browned and fragrant—your nose will let you know 😉
  11. Once they’re browned, deglaze the pan with the vinegar
  12. Reduce for 1-2 minutes on medium-low heat, then add the mustard and parsley. Stir to incorporate along with another pinch of salt and pepperFullSizeRender-15
  13. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and stir the sauce/vinaigrette
  14. Turn off the heat
  15. Add the potatoes and the pork back to the pan, and toss with the vinaigrette to coat all of the potatoes while they’re still warmFullSizeRender-16
  16. Let the potato salad sit while making the burger—this potato salad could be made a day in advance. Traditionally German potato salad is served warm, but it’s great at room temperature or even cold

To Make Caramelized Onions: 

  1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees
  2. In an oven-proof pot with a lid, or a dutch oven, coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and add 2 pats (1/8 tablespoon) of butter
  3. Add the onions and cook, uncovered, on medium heat for a few minutes until they start to sweat
  4. Once the onions start to turn golden, cover and put the pot in the oven
  5. After 20 minutes, stir the onions and add 1 teaspoon each of black pepper and salt
  6. Cover and put onions back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes
  7. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and stir the onions
  8. Cook for an additional 30 minutes
  9. Uncover, stir, and cook for an additional 10 minutes
  10. Take the onions out of the oven, they should be brown and caramelized—leave the oven on for the burger afterwards though
  11. Place the onions in a bowl and set aside to top your burger, or use them in an omelet, in pasta, or in one of my personal favorites—pizzaFullSizeRender-10

To Make the Burger:

  1. Remove the meat from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before you plan to cook—this will help with even cooking
  2. Shape your burger patty—I went with a long burger in order to fit the bread, but a traditional round patty is always good
  3. Season both sides with a good pinch of salt, black pepper and granulated garlic
  4. Heat your pan on medium heat for a couple of minutes and add the remaining olive oil to the panFullSizeRender-2
  5. Add the meat to the pan—you should hear a nice sizzle when the meat hits the hot pan. Resist the urge to move the burger or squish it down. This way it will form a nice crust and stay juicyFullSizeRender-3
  6. After 2-3 minutes, flip the burger over and cook on the second side for an additional 2 minutesAdd a pat of butter to the pan and place the pan in the preheated oven
  7. In the meantime, take your sliced baguette and spread the Laughing Cow cheese packets on the bread and put into the oven at the same time
  8. Cook for about 5-7 minutes for medium donenessFullSizeRender-7
  9. Remove the bread and burger pan from the oven and let the burger rest for a few minutes
  10. Increase oven to broiler setting
  11. (Optional) I like to add the pan drippings from the burger pan to the potato salad along with another pinch of salt—it makes the potato salad even creamier, and ties the flavors together well. Trust me, it sounds decadent, but you’ll love it!FullSizeRender-1
  12. Add a handful of arugula to the bottom half of the sandwich
  13. To the top half, add the sliced avocado to the top half and a layer of caramelized onionsFullSizeRender-5
  14. Top the bottom half with the burger, then top that with a few slices of Gruyere cheese
  15. Put under the broiler for an another minute just to melt the cheeseFullSizeRender-4
  16. Remove the bottom half of the sandwich from the ovenFullSizeRender-8
  17. Combine the two halves, take a minute to admire the delicious picture, and cut on a bias

Enjoy your amazing gastropub style burger at home with some potato salad on the side – don’t mind the mess. In fact, if your burger isn’t messy, then you’re doing something wrong!

Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta

~ Jonathan H ~ 2 Comments

The first time I made this dish wasn’t actually at home. I was on vacation in the UK, and staying by a friend for a few days in Birmingham, England. I had been going out for most of my meals, and I thought it would be a nice change to not only have something homemade, but also cook a meal that my friend could have as leftovers for a few days after I left. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, since I was a traveler on a budget, and the chicken thighs at Tesco looked really good that day. if you want something that might be fancier than chicken, if you’re entertaining with this dish, then some meatballs would be a nice substitute. After forming the meatballs, I would brown them for a couple of minutes on each side in a pan, and then let them finish cooking in the sauce.

Pasta is a great way to spread a dish out over a few meals, and it’s also an easy way to stretch a protein into several portions. This dish is creamy, comforting, and easy to make—it will stick to your ribs and definitely make you want another plate, so make sure to make the whole recipe, even if you live on your own—the leftovers are amazing. This dish only gets better the next day!

Ingredients:

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 cup of pancetta cut into cubes—if you don’t have pancetta, then salt pork would be a good substitute though it has less meat so you’ll have to use slightly more of the block. Bacon is ok too, just make sure it’s not flavored too heavily, and that it’s thick enough to cut into lardon-sized pieces

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes—I prefer San Marzano tomatoes since they’re sweeter, but any brand should be fine. A fun variation of this recipe is to use fire roasted diced tomatoes along with a few sun-dried tomatoes then pulse them in the blender until a sauce forms, but not completely smooth

Granulated garlic or garlic powder

3-4 cloves of garlic

1 large Spanish onion (or 2 medium)—any onion is fine really, except for red, which I feel has a little too much bite for this recipe

1 package of Baby Bella or Cremini mushrooms, halved—white button mushrooms are also fine, but cremini have a little more flavor. I think large Portobello mushrooms are too bold for a dish like this. If you were to use them, then I may suggest using a heavier protein like turkey cutlets

¼ cup of white wine—use something you would drink. If it doesn’t taste good straight up, it won’t taste good concentrated in your dish!

1 cup of heavy cream

Olive oil

1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes—adjust to your own taste. I like spicy, but feel free to omit the pepper flakes if you prefer a milder sauce

1½  teaspoons of dried oregano

1 tablespoon of fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 box of fusilli or rotelle—I like to use a pasta shape that will hold a lot of the sauce and is bite-sized

Parmesan cheese (garnish)

Cooking Steps:

  1. Cut all of the chicken thighs in half
  2. Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and granulated garlic.
  3. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large, deep skillet, and turn the burner to medium heat.
  4. After a couple of minutes, add the chicken to the pan. Try to make sure that the chicken is in a single layer, and that they all get some pan space. This way they cook in about the same timeIMG_2863
  5. Cook the chicken for a few minutes, flipping occasionally, until it’s browned, but not cooked through. Don’t worry; it will finish cooking in the sauce later.IMG_7134
  6. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside in a bowl or a plate for later
  7. In the same pan, add the pancetta and cook—stirring occasionally so that the pieces don’t stick to the bottom of the panIMG_2477
  8. When all of the pancetta has browned and has a crispy exterior, remove to the same bowl as the chicken. Resist the urge to drain them or place on a paper towel—trust me, you’ll want this fattiness later!IMG_9331
  9. Add garlic and sauté for 30-45 seconds on medium to medium-high heat until it starts to brown, but pay attention. Burned garlic can ruin a dish!
  10. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutesIMG_7298
  11. Once the onions start to brown and caramelize a bit, add the mushrooms—again, you should make sure the onions and mushrooms are spread around the pan, and stir occasionally, so that they all get some “sizzle”IMG_3043
  12. Add the dried oregano and crushed red pepper flakes, as well as well as ½ teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of black pepper—hold off on adding any extra salt since the pancetta will lend some saltiness to the sauce. You can always add more later!IMG_5693
  13. When the mushrooms are cooked tender and the onions have continues to caramelize, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Make sure to scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. That’s pure flavor!FullSizeRender-1
  14. Let the alcohol cook off for a couple of minutes and then add the tomatoes to the pan
  15. After 2 minutes, add the chicken and pancetta back to the pan along with the basilIMG_6382
  16. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 12-15 minutes, and stir it after about halfway to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan and move everything aroundIMG_5863
  17. About halfway through the previous step, put your pasta water on to boil.
  18. Cook the pasta according to package directions—the only unique thing I do in this dish is add a clove of garlic, roughly chopped, to the pasta water in order to give the noodles a subtle garlic flavor, and make sure to add a nice amount of salt since it will flavor the noodlesIMG_8148
  19. When you drop the pasta into the pot, add about 1 cup of heavy cream to the sauce (or 3 turns around the pan). Stir to incorporate well into the sauceIMG_6979
  20. Drain the pasta when it’s al dente, even if you like it softer since it will continue to cook in the sauce for a couple of minutes.IMG_4452
  21. Add the pasta to the sauce pan, and mix the pasta, sauce, chicken, pancetta, onions and mushrooms all together. You want the noodles to be completely covered in sauce, but not swimming in it. Simmer together for another couple of minutes.IMG_4359
  22. Add a few big spoonfuls of the dish on a big plate or shallow bowl, and garnish with some Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and maybe a sprig of fresh basil

IMG_1796

Buon Appetito!

Recipe: Asian Fusion Chicken Curry

~ Jonathan H ~ Leave a comment

This recipe was inspired by the delicious Chicken Rendang dish I had at Malaysia Grill recently. One of the cooking methods that made that dish so unique was the use of ground onions in the gravy. The onions gave an amazingly aromatic and deep flavor to the dish. In my spin on a chicken curry, shallots are roasted and pureed into a paste in order to impart a similar flavor profile. This curry also incorporates flavors from Thai and Indian cuisines. I chose to make it with chicken, but it would be delicious with beef, shrimp or even vegetarian. Some crispy tofu or eggplant would be nice options. It might seem like a lot of steps, but once you’ve prepped, it really cooks quickly. You’ll love to eat this curry on a chilly day, or on any day of the year.

IMG_1553Ingredients:

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken tenders, chopped into medium sized chunks

3 stalks of lemongrass

2 tablespoons of fish sauce

2 heaping spoonfuls of hot chili oil

2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons of dried shrimp – this might seem like a weird ingredient, but it’s very prevalent in Asian dishes. It also gives a great umami flavor

3 small or 2 large limes

2 tablespoons of palm sugar (if you don’t have any palm sugar, then brown sugar or even white sugar is fine as a substitute)

2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon of peanut oil

2 tablespoons of olive oil

4 medium shallots

2 medium (or 1 extra large) russet potatoes (you want a good starchy potato to help thicken the curry and stand up to the cooking process)

2 teaspoons of Garam Masala

2 teaspoons of curry powder

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/2 cup of water

1.5 teaspoons of freeze-dried cilantro

1/2 of a 4oz jar of green curry paste (Thai kitchen is a good brand)

FullSizeRender-2

1 can of coconut milk

2-3 Thai green chilies, minced (jalapeños are a good substitute) — this is an optional ingredient, but really helps being a nice beat to the dish

IMG_1564

To make the marinade:

  1. Chop the lemongrass into 1-2 inch long pieces and place into a plastic Ziploc bag (about gallon size)–Make sure the lemongrass isn’t cut too small since you’ll have to take it out before cooking.
  2. Add the rice wine vinegar, hot chili oil, the juice of 1 large or 2 small limes, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of palm sugar, 1 tablespoon of peanut oil, 1 shallot roughly chopped, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and the dried shrimp.
  3. Place the chicken, cut into chunks, along with the rest of the marinade ingredients into a Ziploc bag with a strong zipper. Trust me, you’ll need the good kind, unless you want marinade all over your counter or the inside of your refrigerator. FullSizeRender-4
  4. Toss the cut lime into the bag as well since the zest will help flavor the chicken. You can also add some fresh ginger to this marinade if you want to turn this into a chicken stir-fry style dish. After marinating the chicken, sauté it with some broccoli or peppers or snow peas in a hot wok and serve over rice. Yum!
  5. Marinade for 30 minutes minimum, and up to 1 day in the fridge.
This is what the chicken looked like after a day in the marinade
This is what the chicken looked like after a day in the marinade

To Make the Roasted Potatoes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Chop the potatoes in half lengthwise, then cut those pieces lengthwise again. Cut the long quarters into medium-large chunks. Don’t worry if all of the pieces aren’t the same size, your dish will look rustic and let people know that it’s homemade.
  3. Place the potatoes onto a baking sheet.
  4. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, and dried cilantro. If you don’t have dried cilantro, then cumin would be tasty and would give the potatoes a smoky taste.FullSizeRender-8
  5. Toss to coat all of the potatoes with the oil and spices.
  6. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. You want them be crisp and light brown on the outside, but be careful to not let them get too dark. These don’t require a lot of babysitting.
Potatoes out of the oven
Potatoes out of the oven

To Make the Shallot Paste:

  1. Peel the shallots (there will be 2 bulbs in each skin).
  2. If the shallot is large then cut the bulbs in half, if not then place it whole onto a baking sheet.
  3. Season the shallots with salt, pepper and remaining olive oil
  4. Put the shallots into the oven about 10 minutes after the potatoes.
  5. Once you’ve taken the shallots out of the oven, allow them to cool a bit.
  6. Put the shallots into a blender with the curry powder, garam masala, ground ginger, and remaining teaspoon of oil.
  7. Pulse while adding water until it comes together into a loose paste.FullSizeRender-12
  8. The potatoes and shallot paste could both be made ahead of time, just make sure to refrigerate.

To Make the Curry:

  1. Add remaining peanut oil to a wokIMG_1563
  2. Heat your wok on medium to medium high heat until the oil is shimmering, but not smoking
  3. Add curry paste to the wok along with the zest of 1/2 a lime and minced Thai chilies, and heat through (1-2 minutes)FullSizeRender-5
  4. Add the shallot paste to the wok. You’ll be able to smell the aromas of Garam Masala and curry powder after cooking for a few minutes.FullSizeRender-9
  5. Add the coconut milk to the wok as well as the remaining sugar.FullSizeRender-13
  6. Let the sauce come up to a simmer and taste. You can add more fish sauce to taste.
  7. Once the sauce is simmering steadily, it’s time to add the chicken. Remember to pick the lemongrass and limes out of the marinade bag. The lemongrass is inedible in this form and has done its job in flavoring the dish. Also, drain most all of the marinade out of the bag.FullSizeRender-3
  8. Cook the chicken for a couple of minutes, then add the roasted potatoes.FullSizeRender-1
  9. Now is the fun part. Stir the wok around and let it go on the stove for at least 10-15 minutes on medium low – medium in order to give the chicken time to cook in the sauce and the potatoes do lost their crispy exterior and absorb some sauce. Use this time to get a drink, or wash the chili off of your hands.FullSizeRender-6
  10. After it starts simmering again, squeeze half of a lime into the wok and keep simmering. Save the remaining lime half.
  11. When the curry has reduced and has thickened up, so that sticks heavily to your spoon, then it’s done.

    FullSizeRender-11
    Doesn’t that look delicious?
  12. Garnish with a wedge of lime and serve! A dollop of Greek yogurt or raita would be delicious to help cool down the palate as well.
A Taste for the Chef
A Taste for the Chef

There’s a deep Indian-spiced, curry flavor to the dish, with an escalating heat from the Thai chilies—no bite though, rather it’s a kind of heat that rests on the back of your tongue. You also taste the warming flavors of curry, garam masala and ginger, as well as an earthiness from the roasted shallots.

The chicken almost braises in the curry sauce, and doesn’t get chewy while cooking in the sauce. The potatoes also have a great mouth feel; they absorb some of the sauce, and the starchiness of the potatoes helps thicken up the gravy. The lemongrass complements the lime throughout the dish, and gives it a subtle citrus flavor, which helps cut across the heaviness of the dish itself. The dried shrimp rehydrates in the marinade as well as the curry, and much of it melts. The leftover pieces become chewy and add a nice fishiness to round out the flavor profile. Rice or naan is a great vehicle to scoop up the thick curry sauce, although the dish is filling enough to eat on its own. It’s so good you may lick your plate clean!