THE Martha...Fung

Lobster Roll and Fried Clams at Kennebunk, ME

2010-09-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

My husband and I recently took a road trip over a long weekend and I finally got a taste of real Maine lobster roll! I did a ton of research on where to eat, since that was our primary goal for the trip (eating our way through Maine), and came up with the Clam Shack in Kennebunk. The fried clams are definitely the thing to get there, and the lobster rolls aren't bad at all.

I've never tasted such flavorful and sizable whole bellied clams before. The batter was perfectly seasoned, and I didn't mind the Ken's tartar sauce. The only drawbacks are 1) the price...half a pint cost about $15 2) aggressive sea gulls that would steal your lunch. We literally lost 3 pieces of fried clams when a sea gull came over our heads and stole them while in flight. They weren't kidding with those sea gull warnings, so pay attention!

At first, I didn't think much of their lobster roll until I had one from another joint days later. At first bite, I was blown away by the lobster meat in the bun. It was so very tasty (because they cooked the lobster in sea water) and so very meaty. There was no celery or mayo in the filling, so it was pure lobster goodness. We ordered one roll with mayo and another with butter, and both were smeared onto the bun, not on the meat. I preferred the butter version better from the Clam Shack - it just went better with the lobster meat and the roll, which I will definitely talk about later.

Unlike lobster rolls I've had in the past, the lobster meat at the Clam Shack was not chopped up into smaller pieces. Instead, the tail meat was sliced in half. I felt like I was eating lobster in a bun. Pure. Lobster. Goodness.

Sadly, the bun dragged down my lobster roll experience. It's not the usual sweet potato bun that most lobster rolls use, which I think matches better with the saltiness of the lobster meat. On top of that, the texture of the roll didn't work for me. Add to it that although the inside of the bun was nicely toasted, it was not warm at all. However, it wasn't a bad lobster roll. In fact, I learned to appreciate Clam Shack's lobster roll package after having one from another joint. I just wished the lunch didn't put a hole in our wallet...Maine eats really add up!

Chinese Cooking Basics: No Work Meal

2010-09-13T09:00:00.002-04:00

Summer is sadly over, but I'm looking forward to the cold weather so I can have shabu shabu (Japanese term), or hot pot (what we Chinese call 火鍋). This brings back such warm memories of my time in Hong Kong enjoying this with my family. Hot pot is as traditional and basic as it gets and it's super easy. It's a no fuss, intimate meal that can be fun for two or a large family. Your guests do their own cooking in a boiling pot of broth (or two pots for a large family). All you need to do is wash the veggies ahead of time!

What you'll need at least are:

equipment: an electric soup pot (I imagine a slow cooker set on high might work), chopsticks and small chinese spiders
soup base (chicken broth would suffice)
mushrooms
vegetables (Chinese leafy greens or nappa cabbage will do)
rice vermicelli
tofu
dipping sauce: soy sauce or any other concoction

After you've got your basics figured out, it's pretty much up to you. You can have some thinly sliced meat (so it cooks faster), seafood...the sky is the limit. Cook whatever you want in the pot, dip it in some soy sauce, and enjoy. We were lucky enough to have king crab and wagyu beef when we attended a soft opening of my friend's shabu shabu joint in Flushing, Queens a while ago. It was yummy!

I absolutely loved their broth, and you can make your own dipping sauce at their bar. The service was attentive - they came around a few times to add more liquid to our pots when it got cooked down. They have beer, all types of appetizers, sides, bubble tea, shaved ice...you name it. Try shabu shabu at home, or go out and try it at a shabu shabu joint (above are photos from our meal at Minni's Shabu Shabu). Either way, it will definitely warm you up.

New England Menu for Housewarming

2010-09-10T09:00:00.004-04:00

I mentioned in a previous post that I had my family (in-laws included) over for our housewarming lunch. Preparing a menu for the occasion was a headache, given the dietary restrictions and preferences in the family. On one hand, my mom is a vegetarian. On the other hand, one father prefers fresh, simple, quality seafood, and doesn't eat chicken or beef. Meanwhile, the other father (my in-law) is a huge carnivore and prefers quantity. How do I please every one?

Given that we have moved further into the heart of New England, I thought a New England menu was appropriate and could work for the crowd - fresh seafood, potatoes, dairy. After much thought, I came up with this menu:

lump crab cakes (Cook's Illustrated recipe)
lobster rolls
hearty salad (similar to a nicoise, with hard boiled egg, heirloom tomatoes, green beans and potatoes, but vegetarian of course)
carb dish for the vegetarian (roasted tomato pasta)
steamed sweet corn
chocolate cookies, and
home made vanilla bean ice cream (Alton Brown recipe)

I would've made New England Clam Chowder, but my husband forbid me from making it in the high 70s temperature. With the exception to the crab cakes, cookies and ice cream, everything else I've made before (I know, it's a no no to try new recipes for a party). Sadly, the crab cakes didn't turn out as I had hoped (the recipe was a tad too salty and used more scallions than I would've liked) and the ice cream was a bit too sweet for my family's taste. Oh well, you can't please every one, especially when it comes to a family of food critics like my parents and my brother.

The lobster rolls turned out well, with the exception of the buns that my husband toasted, which needed more toasting according to my brother. I think we'll use top split buns next time because my sister wanted the outside of the bun toasted as well. And then I had my father complaining that the lobster meat may have been undercooked, but I thought it was perfectly silky and not chewy like overcooked lobster that you get almost everywhere. My sister second that. Here they are while the buns were getting filled.

This was the order of things for the day. Pretty much everything was made that morning (ice cream and pasta were made night before), starting at 7:30am:

form the crab cakes so they can chill in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking; very time consuming process (all this while my husband went out to get fresh lobsters)
bake cookies and set them up
make salad dressing and other ingredients
cook the lobsters an hour ahead of the event and make the lobster roll filling
cook the crab cakes and steam the corn 15 minutes ahead of the event
toast the buns and fill with the lobster filling
assemble the salad and drizzle with dressing when guests arrive

I find it really helpful to come up with a check list of things to do for a party ahead of time, so I make sure I always have one to keep me sane. The result: I got all the food out and was able to enjoy my family's company!

What's in Martha's Fridge?

2010-09-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

I had my family over a couple of weeks ago for a small housewarming. We're not 100% furnished, but I think we've gone pretty far within 9 months considering that we renovated, moved in, and got the place functional, clean & furnished with the basic furniture we need (not mention that my head was buried in books for a few months). My sister, who is also my plant doctor, is a bit of a snoop, so I wasn't surprised that she looked around, especially inside my fridge, took photos and sent them to me in an email entitled "What's in Martha's Fridge?" Very funny.

What exactly is in my fridge? Well, to start off, I don't have an expensive gourmet fridge (our condo-sized apartment simply doesn't have enough space), so things may not be as organized as I'd like them to be, especially in the freezer. What you see isn't a true representation of our fridge since we were in party mode. For example, I don't store a huge container of homemade crab cakes at all times (as if my husband and I feast on them for breakfast every day). Nevertheless, you can get a sense of how we live.

We have at all times butter, orange juice, jarred sauces & condiments (oyster sauce, black bean sauce, chili sauce, mustard, ketchup, hot sauce), wine for cooking and beer (a must for my husband) on the door of the fridge, grouped by category. Inside, we keep the other juice and milk on the upper level (we used to store our milk on the fridge door but switched since the temperature could be higher on the fridge door). On the middle level are containers of various things (stored in containers to cut down on using plastic wrap), eggs, herbs (wrapped in paper towels to prolong freshness in the bin), vegetables and salad. On the lower level are heavy items like potatoes, corn and a whole chicken that's been sorta dry-brined for dinner another night. In the bottom bins, we have onions in one bin and fruits in the other. Yes, we put everything in the fridge, including potatoes, garlic and onion, to avoid a return of the roaches from the days of the previous dirty owners.

As for the freezer, you'll see that this is different and more packed than the one my husband (then fiance) had in his...it was stocked for one person. On the freezer door, I have various things in containers - left over egg yolks, homemade vanilla ice cream, frozen peas, left over homemade duck stock, jalapeno in chipotle sauce, vegetable scraps to be used in stock later on and vodka. Inside, you can't miss the smiley face bag, which blocked the ice tray and housed 2 lobster heads that my sister brought to me that day; she had thoughtfully saved them for me to be used in lobster stock (thanks sis!). On the same level, you'll see ice cream (we wanted to check out if Blue Bunny, on sale that week, was what it was cracked up to be in the Cook's Illustrated magazine taste test), dumpling wrappers, chicken drumsticks in the back, lobster stock and a container of homemade dumplings.

On the lower level are various cuts of red meat, which I don't usually touch since they're for the carnivore who lives with me. There are also pork chops and various cuts of pork for making Chinese soup. I find that chops and steaks are best stored in such a height-challenged area of the freezer.

That's my cold closet, in all its glory and most importantly, unstyled! It took me a while to get to what works for us in terms of organizing the fridge, so I'm kinda proud of how far we've come from those frozen entree days when we first bought the place and had nothing to cook with because we were renovating. Well, what do you think of my fridge?

Chinese Cooking Basics: Eggs over Easy

2010-09-06T09:00:00.004-04:00

It's Labor Day weekend, and I have a perfect simple dish on your day off. It's my favorite and as basic as it gets - eggs over easy with soy sauce on rice. My mom would make this for me for dinner when she was feeling lazy. I love breaking the creamy egg yolk that mixes with the saltiness of the soy sauce, and combining all of that with rice in one bite. In another bite, I'd get the crispy edge of the egg white...what a perfect contrast in textures. Anyways, other than the obvious soy sauce, the Chinese part of this dish is cooking the egg in a wok. I know you must be thinking "it should be easy." Not so much if you don't have the right equipment or technique.

The wok is actually a perfect vehicle to cook your egg over easy or sunny side up because the sloped bottom of the wok means that you'll have the same shaped cooked egg every time, as opposed to cooking it in a flat pan where the egg white can spread out before getting cooked.

The secret to a perfectly cooked egg (over easy or sunny side up) is a very hot wok. Your egg shouldn't stick as long as your pan and oil are hot, so it doesn't matter if you don't have a non-stick wok (I have an old stainless steel one). When you see wisps of smoke coming out of your wok, that means it's time to add the oil. Add the egg when your oil gets hot, stand back quickly as the hot oil will splatter when it comes in contact with the egg, and flip when the edges brown if you're making an over easy egg.

Put the cooked egg over warm rice, drizzle as much soy sauce as you like on top of the egg, and enjoy! It makes a nice quick lunch with left over rice or dinner.

Adding a Little Bit of Spice to My Life

2010-09-01T09:00:00.005-04:00

Contrary to what my husband thinks, I don't have everything in the kitchen. I don't have a lot of space in my kitchen, so I only have what I need. Spices is one of them. I loved buying the spices I use most often in bulk at Whole Foods - it was very economical. Sadly, they don't have them anymore...I've searched the location I originally got it from and others in the tri-state area. Where do I turn to now for trusted spices? Penzeys.

I discovered Penzeys when I was watching America's Test Kitchen. They did a taste test of cinnamon and had recommended that brand due to its quality and most of all its lovely fragrance that's different (but still familiar) than your regular supermarket brands. Penzeys has a small outpost in Grand Central in NYC. Thankfully, there's a store not far from me in Norwalk, CT! I prefer the store much better as you can treat your nose to a nice whiff or two to their endless jars of spice samples. I can spend hours doing that if my husband weren't there.

I did not get their ground cinnamon yet, but I did get a chance to experience the wonderful aroma of it. I was shocked at how fragrant it was! Their price is higher than the supermarket brands, but this is how I rationalize purchasing a higher quality product:

it's not a huge purchase that you have to make often, so cost is rather negligible
you may need to use less of their spices in recipes because they're rather potent (for example, they recommend doing so with their cumin because it's very strong...and it is)
buy the larger size, which costs less per ounce
it makes your ending product taste better, so isn't it worth it?

Instead of cinnamon, which I don't need at the moment but hopefully will in the future, I brought home some cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, ginger and thyme. They all smelled soooo good, and that made me very happy. :-)

Chinese Cooking Basics: Stuffed Fried Tofu

2010-08-30T09:00:00.002-04:00

My mom's Stuffed Green Peppers is one of my favorite dishes. You can find versions of it (shrimped stuffed pepper or eggplant, or fish stuffed pepper or eggplant) when you have dim sum. Sometimes my mom would stuff soft fried tofu with the same mixture she uses for green peppers, and that's exactly what I did after cracking her recipe. Below is what it looks like prior to mixing it in sauce.

I bought some soft jumbo fried tofu from the Chinese supermarket, sliced them in half and applied the shrimp stuffing with a dinner knife on the cut side of the soft fried tofu. The cooking method is the same as the green pepper version, except for a shorter cooking time as the fried tofu is cooked already. The soft fried tofu adds a different texture to the stuffed green peppers. They can work as an appetizer or a dish for dinner. Yum!

A Week of Asian Cooking

2010-08-27T09:00:00.004-04:00

I felt a need to get close to my roots, so I thought it would be nice to cook Chinese every (business) day one week. After all, I did vow to cook more Chinese food. Since I do not have an arsenal of Chinese recipes yet, I thought I would get by with cooking Asian cuisine.

Monday - Ma Po Daofu (麻婆豆腐). This is a somewhat spicy Chinese dish (in particular, Sichuan) that is traditionally made with a spicy bean sauce (豆板醬), tofu and ground pork. I made some adjustments based on what I had in the fridge by using ground turkey instead of pork and adding diced eggplant.

Tuesday - Chicken Adobo. I thought it was about time to pay tribute to my husband's heritage by making what can be considered the national dish of the Philippines. It is basically a rustic and easy dish made of chicken simmered in a combination of soy sauce and vinegar.

Wednesday - Chicken Adobo. I cheated. I made a big batch of this and ate it over two nights. Truthfully, even with marinating the chicken before cooking, the dish always tastes better the following nights as the chicken has more of an opportunity to absorb the tasty sauce.
Thursday - Seafood with Broccoli. While this may sound Chinese, it's actually Japanese (fusion, to be correct). I simply followed Nobu's recipe for Squid Pasta and substituted the squid with shrimp and scallops. Given that Nobu is known for its new-style Japanese cuisine (Peruvian + Japanese), the sauce has a rather unique taste thanks to a combination of butter, soy sauce and sake. Yes, butter with soy sauce!
Friday - Fried Rice (炒飯). I made sure I cooked more rice than usual the night before so I would have enough to make fried rice the day after. I didn't have any left overs to toss in, but I certainly made good use of the tough broccoli stems in the fried rice.

There it is! I took a trip to China, Philippines, Japan and China all in 5 days. I hope this has inspired both me and you to keep closer to our roots via food.

An Almost Tuna Nicoise

2010-08-25T09:00:00.002-04:00

When I think of salad most of the time, the image that comes to my head is a tossed salad...until I watched Ina Garten put together a beautiful platter of tuna nicoise. She grouped each ingredient freely on a plate, and together they make such an impact. It's similar to decorating - if you group objects in vignettes, they make a larger impact and look less like clutter. Anyways, I had most of the ingredients in my pantry and fridge, minus the olives and capers, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was a nice hearty lunch for two.

I used just your normal supermarket grade canned tuna but put in some nice, deliciously sweet and flavorful Campari tomatoes. Admittedly, my eggs were a tad undercooked, but the plate turned out beautiful. It also tasted great with my usual homemade vinaigrette. I imagine this would be a nice presentation for a party.

Chinese Cooking Basics: Ma Po Dofu

2010-08-23T09:00:00.004-04:00

I was looking for new dumpling recipes one day and stumbled upon a recipe for Turkey-Stuffed Tofu Dumplings from Anita Lo. While I wasn't wowed by her restaurant, Annisa, when we were there over 5 years ago, I decided to give the recipe a try since it was an interesting adaptation of Ma Po Dofu (or Tofu), a spicy dish from the Sichuan Province of China.

I used this recipe twice - made it as is (tofu topped with meat) and as Ma Po Dofu with eggplant. Both turned out equally great even without the use of fermented black beans, which my husband forbid me to buy & store in our pantry due to its strong aroma. The recipe as it is definitely had a wow factor for my husband, and rightfully so as it required diligently putting the meat onto delicate tofu. With the traditional stir fry version, I made it heartier with eggplant - the key is to add the tofu last and toss lightly so it won't break. With both versions, I served them with Jasmine rice and Chinese greens.

This recipe is definitely a must have in your repertoire. Ma Po Dofu is an authentic dish with flavorful results.

Chicken Adobo

2010-08-21T09:00:00.001-04:00

I thought after 10+ years of being together, it was about time I pay tribute to my husband's heritage by making what can be considered the national dish of the Philippines - Chicken Adobo. It is a delicious, rustic and very easy dish made of chicken simmered in a combination of soy sauce and vinegar. It's got a little bit of the salty, sweet and sour. Make a big pot of this, and it tastes even better the next day!

I've done a lot of research on which recipe to use...some marinated the chicken ahead of time, others strangely used Sprite, which I don't believe is authentic. What I found most recipes that claimed to be traditional used soy sauce, vinegar, black peppercorn, garlic, chicken and bay leaf. My father-in-law adds onions, which is what most Americanized versions use for added flavor.

The only Chicken Adobo I've ever had was made by my father-in-law, so I asked my husband how mine was compared to his, to which my husband responded "yours is really good, but it's different than my father's." The only reason ingredient-wise I can think of is the soy sauce...my father-in-law does not like plain sauce soy and thinks toyomansi, a soy sauce made sour with the addition of kalamansi juice made from Filipino limes, is superior. Perhaps the use of toyomansi adds a special kind of tang to the Chicken Adobo.

I don't claim to make the traditional version, just whatever is a close representation of it, convenient to me and is flavorful. This is what I used to make mine, without the use of toyomansi:

Chicken Adobo
Serves 4

6 chicken drumsticks
6 chicken thighs
1/2 C + 1 tbs white vinegar
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 of a large onion, diced
3 bay leaf
3-4 garlic cloves, smashed
fresh ground pepper
oil

Marinate everything except for the onion for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator and rest at room temperature prior to cooking. In a large pot or wok over medium-high heat, add oil and saute onions until fragrant. Add the marinated chicken along with everything and bring to a boil. Lower to medium heat, cover and cook for about 30-40 minutes, tossing the mixture and skimming off the fat and impurities on the surface in between.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce has thickened somewhat, about 20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too salty, add water. Serve with rice.

I made my Chicken Adobo in a wok for added flavor ("鍋氣") and served it with jasmine rice and Chinese greens. Every one has their own version of Chicken Adobo, so feel free to use this recipe and personalize it to make it your own!

Green Cleaning for Your Stainless Steel Sink

2010-08-19T09:00:00.001-04:00

I've been scrubbing a lot lately to get our place in tip top shape for our housewarming, ten months after we closed on our new (and first) home. Needless to say, we've used a lot of elbow grease on this place since the prior owners were not the cleanest people. My last big job was the windows, and they're done (thank god). Now, it's the minor things like maintaining the cleanliness. Getting our stainless steel sink has been a once every 2-3 week job, and I haven't been happy with the results...until now.

Believe me, I've tried scrubbing with dish washing liquid and household cleaners, but wasn't quite satisfied with the dull finish. Thinking back, I should have tried green cleaning like we did for our tile grout, but now I realize that it was just so much easier to reach to the left for the dish washing liquid or under the sink for the household cleaner, as opposed to walk over to the pantry to grab the baking soda. All I did was sprinkle about a tablespoon of baking soda onto my already wet stainless steel sink, rub it in with a paper towel and rinse. I wish I have some before & after photos, but I was so impressed with the results, I only have the after photo.

The baking soda and water formed a paste that, when rubbed into the surface, gently took out any dirt and dark spots from the sink. I did this twice to make sure the sink was really clean. Our stainless steel sink now looks as shiny as the day we bought it! Now, if only I can get my hands to where they were before they got sandpaper-like from the endless cleaning...

Chinese Cooking Basics: The Wok

2010-08-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

The wok is the one most important kitchen equipment when it comes to Chinese cooking. It is used for stir frying, steaming, braising, you name it. They key to making most Chinese dishes in a wok is high heat. There's a term we use in Chinese called "鍋氣" - it literally translates into "wok air," and roughly translates to the fragrant aroma or flavor made from cooking in a wok. You can taste it when something has been cooked correctly in a hot wok.

To achieve "鍋氣," start with a hot wok then add oil. If that is done correctly, whatever you are cooking will not stick to the wok and will be flavorful.

Hope Pizza (CT)

2010-08-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

My husband and I made a pact that we'd try out our neighborhood restaurants in CT at least once a month. We haven't really followed it, but I must say that we've tried a good handful of pizza joints so far: Remo's Brick Oven Pizza, Coalhouse Pizzaria, Colony Grill and now, Hope Pizza.

In our research, my husband stumbled upon this blog where the authors sample the pizza joints in Stamford and around the tri-state area. They ranked these establishments on a scale of 1 to 30, 1 being the worst, 30 being the best. I found it most interesting that the authors described their mission was to benchmark all pizzas against those from Stamford. Why? Stamford is not a culinary capital, as far as I can understand, that it can serve as a benchmark. I had my doubts, but was curious to check out exactly what was behind Hope Pizza's packed parking lot on most nights and what was worthy of its high 24 rating, way above Coalhouse, which I thought was quite good for Stamford.

Hope Pizza had the appearance and the menu of a diner, except with the name that implies a pizza joint. It is mostly a Greek diner that serves diner food and pizza of course, with one of the pizza toppings being gyro. My husband and I ordered a large pie, split between mushroom on one half and sausage & pepperoncini on the other half. When our server brought our pie to the table, my first impression from the buttery, fresh out of the oven aroma and the appearance of the pie was reminiscent of Pizza Hut.

On the plus side, the pie came piping hot and had a crunchy (not soggy) bottom. On the huge minus side, the pizza was topped with canned mushroom, a generous amount of cheese, and an even more generous amount of pepperoncini.

My husband felt adventurous and had ordered buffalo wings that he later regretted. All in all, I can see why families go to Hope Pizza. It's a place where you can bring your screaming kids, make a mess, and have a night off from the kitchen. Its mediocre food serves as a somewhat passable substitute to ordinary week night dinners, canned ingredients and all. I understand that there are different kinds of pizza out there that people prefer, but after having the good fortune of having pizza from many of NYC's finest, the Pizza Hut style simply isn't my cup of tea.

Light & Easy Eggplant Milanese

2010-08-11T09:00:00.005-04:00

I wanted to make crunchy chicken without frying one day. I'm not a fan of deep frying anything in my kitchen and make a mess of it. If I want fry food, I'd rather go out to a restaurant. So I went on a hunt for an oven fried chicken recipe and found the most delicious, flavorful and crunchy Oven-Fried Chicken Milanese. I liked it so much that I used the same method for making eggplant milanese.

The recipe calls for making a coating of parmesan and egg, and panko (Japanese bread crumbs), parsley and lemon zest. Instead of dipping chicken in it, I dipped half inch rounds of sliced eggplant (like an eggplant steak).

It worked just as well. The panko made the eggplant so crunchy. The parmesan added a salty bite, while the fresh parsley and lemon zest added a much needed brightness. I topped the finished product with some home-made tomato sauce I had ready in the freezer, and it was so satisfying. If I had mozzarella cheese, I'd take it further by sprinkling some on the eggplant and putting it under the broiler before adding the sauce. Yum!

Chinese Cooking Basics: Vegetables, Part II

2010-08-09T09:00:00.003-04:00

It's Monday again, and that means another Chinese Cooking Basics! The third post in the series is a continuation to the introduction last week to the Chinese leafy greens. There is one method of cooking that can be applied to practically all types of Chinese greens, whether they be Choy Sum (菜心), Gai Lan (蓋蘭), Bok Choy (白菜) or Pea Shoots (豆苗), and that is a basically a cross between sautéing and braising.

The following are the steps to the cooking method I use for Chinese leafy greens for two. What you'll need ahead of time are 1 tbs oil, 2 smashed garlic gloves, thoroughly washed and drained greens, salt and 1 tbs water.

Heat up oil in a wok over medium-high heat, then add in garlic gloves. Let them sit until fragrant. This step basically makes an aromatic garlic oil.
Add the greens to the wok. Make sure to stand back as the oil will splatter when in contact with the wet greens. Add salt and toss the greens around to ensure that they have been coated by the oil.
Add water, and immediately put a cover over the wok. The steam and liquid will braise the greens.
The greens should be cooked within 5 minutes, depending on your desired texture. I like my greens with a bit of snap to the tooth.

Chicken with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

2010-08-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

Thai sweet chili sauce is one of my husband's favorite sauces. It's sweet, slightly sour, garlicky and has just a tiny hint of heat. He liked it so much that he made a dish with it - Chicken with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. This was his dish until I took over and made it my own. I make it at least a couple of times a month - it's that easy. Pretty much all the time is spent on prepping, as the cooking happens very fast. Dinner can be on the table in way less an hour.

I used to make this dish with chicken cubes like my husband did, but I found the texture to be too tough when met by the high heat of the wok, so I switched to using chicken slices. If you slice the chicken on the bias and against the grain, it's easier to chew. It also takes less time to cook. Another thing I did differently than my husband was to thicken the sauce using the classic Chinese combination of water and a little bit of corn starch. The last thing I did differently was to add scallions for a bit of bite.

Chicken with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Serves 2

1 large chicken breast, sliced thin on the bias
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 scallion, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 1/2 to 3 tbs Thai sweet chili sauce (we have the brand with the chicken on the packaging)
big handful of basil (Thai, preferably, but sweet basil will also do)
1/4 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp water
2 tsp water
vegetable oil
salt & pepper to taste

Season the chicken slices with salt and pepper. In a hot wok with oil over medium-high heat, saute the chicken in batches until it's no longer pink but not completely cooked through. Set the chicken aside in a bowl. Add peppers to the wok and saute until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add the chicken back to the wok, followed by the Thai sweet chili sauce. Add the scallions and saute until soft. Add about 2 teaspoons water and toss. Make a well in the bottom of the wok and add the cornstarch mixture. Mix the cornstarch mixture with any liquid in the bottom of the wok. Toss until the liquid is evenly distributed with the chicken and peppers. Finish by adding the basil leaves. Turn off heat. Viola! Dinner is served.

Stuffed Peppers

2010-08-04T09:00:00.001-04:00

My husband and I have been eating a lot of quinoa, so much that we don't even eat couscous anymore. I had even used quinoa as a substitute for couscous in a Stuffed Peppers recipe from Martha Stewart.

It turned out just as well. The recipe was good, but I may try another homemade sausage recipe I found on Food Network next time...the oregano was too strong for our taste.

Chinese Cooking Basics: Vegetables, Part I

2010-08-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

It's Monday again, and that means another Chinese Cooking Basics! For the second post in the series, let's go over the second most consumed item next to rice: green leafy vegetables. The preparation of these are simple and fast. There are many types out there, and here are some of the more common ones.

Choy Sum (菜心) - This is by far the most basic and probably the most widely consumed Chinese leafy greens. They come in all sizes. Usually, the smaller they are, the more tender. I gravitate towards the smaller ones. They are great sauteed or chopped up in fried rice. Below is the medium variety.

Gai Lan (蓋蘭) - These are also known as Chinese broccoli. They have thicker stems and a stronger, slightly bitter taste that makes them distinctly different than Choy Sum (菜心). They come in all sizes. Usually, the smaller they are, the more tender. They are also great sauteed or chopped up in fried rice. Below is the small variety.

Bok Choy (白菜) - These are by far the most well known Chinese greens in the States. They have wider stems than other leafy greens, and are very tender and moist when cooked. Their stems are white, but the newer varieties have pale green stems. They come in all sizes. Below is the small variety.

Pea Shoots (豆苗) - These are one of the most expensive varieties of Chinese leafy greens. They are delicate in taste, with a tad of nuttiness. I love it sauteed with lots of garlic.

Now that we went over the basics, we can go over the cooking methods next week!

Chinese Cooking Basics: Fried Rice

2010-07-26T09:00:00.004-04:00

It's Monday again, and that means another Chinese Cooking Basics! For the second post in the series, let's go what you can do with left over rice - fried rice. It is traditionally a dish you make with left overs..rice, meat, whatever you have in your fridge. I almost never have left overs because I eat them for lunch, so I toss in whatever I have around like mushroom, Chinese greens and shrimp, in another words, mommy-style. My favorite type of my mother's fried rice has one extra ingredient, and it's preserved vegetable, which adds a spicy bite to the mix.

I usually cook a cup more rice than usual if I want to make fried rice in a few days. So below is a recipe enough for two with the left over rice that is at least a day old. Here's how I like to make mine:

Fried Rice
Serves 2

left over Jasmine rice, about 1C dry measure before cooking
1C dried shiitake mushroom, reconstituted and diced
5 stalks of Chinese leafy greens (gai lan "蓋蘭" or choi sum "菜心", stems diced and leaves cut into ¼-inch-thick chiffonade
5-10 medium shrimp (U25), diced
1 egg
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame seed oil
salt & pepper
vegetable or canola oil

In a hot work over medium-high heat, add oil and saute shrimp with salt and pepper for about 2 minutes. Set aside shrimp. Add mushroom to the wok with salt & pepper and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the leafy greens with some more salt & pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add rice, making sure to break it up while tossing in the wok. Add the soy sauce and continue tossing for about 3-5 minutes.

Make a well in the middle of the wok and break in the egg. Stir the egg to break the yolk and combine with the egg white. Toss the rice on top of the egg until the egg is well distributed. Return the shrimp into the wok. Give it a final toss and finish with sesame seed oil. Serve hot.

The Bar Room at the Modern

2010-07-23T09:00:00.002-04:00

My siblings and I recently managed to snap up one of the hottest tables at the Bar Room at the Modern during NYC restaurant week. The tables are hard to come by due to its large restaurant week menu (limitless, really). On top of that, it's a relatively new restaurant from Danny Meyer, the great restaurateur of big names like the Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern.

I was happy to return to the Bar Room after having been there last year for restaurant week. Unfortunately, the law of diminishing return applied here. Lucky for you, I have plenty of photos to share, thanks to my sister, the photography lover.

Like last year, I started off with the Upside Down Tuna Tarte. I remembered how tasty and inventive it was, but had forgotten that I didn't like the relatively large dice of fennel, cucumber and most of all, raw onion. I found the size of the onion dices packed too much of an unpleasant punch.

My siblings kicked off their meal with Fresh Grilled Shrimp and Tarte Flambée. When our server placed the shrimp dish onto the table, I noticed a slight bounce that was a sign of perfectly cooked shrimp. And they were! The with green cabbage and gruyère salad that accompanied the shrimp was refreshing and tasty. As for the Tarte Flambée, it was very much like a large, thin crust pizza. The smoky aroma of the bacon on the tarte was so very enticing.

For my entree, I had the Crispy Atlantic Cod, which was deceiving because I had expected the fish to have a crispy skin from being pan seared. I would not have imagined from the name of the dish that it was an upscale fish and chips (without the chips). That aside, it was a very fine fish and chips. The batter was fried to a perfect golden brown.

My sister had a "taste" of literally 3 pieces of Pan Roasted Hanger Steak cut from a larger steak. Size aside, she thoroughly enjoyed the dish, especially the young garlic flan. The flan was delicate and rich, with a sweet garlic aroma. The fried bits on top of the flan provided a perfect contrast in texture.

We ended the meal with the Pistachio Dark Chocolate Dome and Strawberry Soup. I had expected a hard chocolate shell on the dome, but I realized that it was a coating of chocolate sauce when my fork sunk right into the delicate and creamy dome. The dome was rich and airy at the same time. The only item on the plate that didn't work for me was the amaretto gelée, which I felt didn't go with the dome. As for the Strawberry Soup with buttermilk panna cotta, I have never seen my brother leave his dessert unfinished. In all honesty, I don't know why he ordered that item since he's not a fan of panna cotta.

All in all, it was a very fine meal. I just wish the portions were more consistent - the Tarte Flambée was an oversized appetizer while the Hanger Steak was more of an appetizer size.

To avoid the law of diminishing return, I should return to the restaurant in another couple of years, or order something different next time.

Chinese Cooking Basics: Rice

2010-07-19T09:00:00.005-04:00

It's been difficult to cook Chinese food at home due to my lack of access to ingredients, time, and my husband's aversion to certain ingredients. I truly want to retain my culture and push myself to cook more Chinese food, so I'm starting a weekly series on the basics in Chinese cooking on Mondays, from ingredients, equipment to recipes. I am far from being a master in Chinese cooking, but I picked up a thing or two many years ago when I was in charge of cooking for the family while my mother took night classes. I have much more to learn, and I'm taking you along on the ride!

To kick off this series, let's start with the most basic and most widely consumed ingredient, which helps keep most Asians staying trim - rice. Contrary to what most Americans think, you don't have to cut out carbs. My grandparents have rice as much as three times a day, and have no problems with a growing waistband. It's all about practicing moderation and having a healthy lifestyle.

The rice of choice in my family is Jasmine rice (in particular, the brand from Thailand with three elephants on the package). It's a long-grain rice that is fragrant, fluffy and not too sticky. I usually cook the amount that is needed for a meal, and if I plan on making fried rice in the next couple of days, I make more.

To make rice for two in a rice cooker:

measure 1 cup of rice
rinse rice once and repeat to get rid of the impurities
for each cup of rice, add about 1 1/2C of water, depending on the desired consistency (I prefer a tad less than that for a less mushy/sticky texture)

I usually don't measure the liquid needed if I'm making enough for two for one meal, but if I make more than that, I usually measure.

Making rice is as basic as it gets. It's one of the few things I've mastered in Chinese cooking. Stay tuned next week for more on Chinese Cooking Basics!

Minted Pea Soup

2010-07-17T09:00:00.003-04:00

I'm not a big fan of mint gum, but I am a fan of fresh mint. Perhaps I just dislike artificial flavors. Anyways, I had some mint that my husband bought for making mojitos (thanks to him buying much more limes than we needed), and I remembered watching an episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina made a Minted Pea Soup. I had doubts at first about the recipe because I've never cooked with mint before, but I ended up loving it, and my husband did too.

Making the soup was super fast and easy - well within 30 minutes from start to finish. On top of that, I had the ingredients already, all except for the fresh peas. Since frozen peas are one of the staples in my freezer, I substituted fresh for frozen. It worked just as well because the mint added such a pleasant fresh flavor to the soup. All in all, it was perfect, especially on a hot summer night.

Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins

2010-07-15T09:00:00.003-04:00

My sister is gonna love me for this post since she has nothing but hate for sour cream! So I still had sour cream sitting in my fridge after making Banana Sour Cream pancakes. I had some blueberries as well, so I searched for a recipe. Lucky for me, I found another Ina recipe, and it was a muffin recipe! If you can't tell already, I love muffins. I sooo remember the days when my husband and I used to go up the block to Connecticut Muffin on Prince St. in NYC (sadly now it's closed).

The muffins were good. As usual, I didn't follow the recipe fully - I added some much needed lemon zest this time, which lightened up the rich batter. The muffins were very tender and very moist. In fact, they were so moist that the muffins that were left over the next day were to the point of soggy.

Overall, I would make them again because they were tasty, but not to keep for more than a day.

Stuffed Eggplant

2010-07-13T09:00:00.004-04:00

I love eggplant, but it's not the easiest vegetable to handle. Eggplants can either turn into mush (because they love to absorb moisture) or get dried out if over cooked/baked. Despite being intimidated, it didn't stop me from buying it. I needed help, so I turned to Martha Stewart for a recipe. Martha's recipe search engine returned Stuffed Eggplant and used exactly what I had in my pantry and fridge, not to mention that it's tasty too!

Besides eggplant, all the recipe needs are onion, tomato, bell peppers, ricotta, parsley and couscous. I did some adjustments by skipping the peppers and replacing the couscous with quinoa. What I love about this recipe is that it uses what I had in the pantry and fridge and that the ricotta adds richness to an otherwise fatless dish. I served it with a side salad, and it was the perfect light but filling summer meal. I will definitely save this one for our next family cookout for my vegetarian mom.

Banana Sour Cream Pancake

2010-07-11T09:00:00.005-04:00

I like bananas. The problem is, you can never buy just 1 or 2 bananas, you have to buy the whole bunch, which most likely has more than 5 bananas. I surely would not eat one banana almost every day, so I had to make a way to incorporate it into our meals. I also had some sour cream I wanted to use from our fridge, so I went hunting for a recipe. Luckily, Ina's got one for me - Banana Sour Cream Pancakes.

It was my first time ever eating either sour cream or bananas in my pancakes, so I wanted to make sure that it's extra good by using great vanilla extract. At first, I thought it sounded strange to put sour cream and bananas in pancakes, but it wasn't bad at all. The sour cream made it moist, and the bananas seemed to have melt right into the pancake. The lemon zest added a much needed lightness.

Among the fruits out there though, I still prefer berries rather than banana in my pancake. That's just me.

Chikalicious Dessert Club for Chikalicious Rejects?

2010-07-09T09:00:00.001-04:00

I've always thought of Chikalicious Dessert Club (the dessert to go outpost straight across from Chikalicious) as the place for Chikalicious rejects, you know, those who either can't get in or don't want to go on the long line. But I've heard so much about Dessert Club's cupcakes and eclairs that my husband and I decided to give it a try one night. It was so very tempting to stand in line at Chikalicious for their three course dessert...the line wasn't that long! I practiced a lot of self restraint that night.

Image from New York Times

We ended up getting a red velvet cupcake, a smores cupcake and a chocolate sorbet macaron (it's macaron, of course we had to get it!). The cupcakes were definitely on the small side compared to others I've had in NYC, but I didn't mind as long as they taste good, not to mention less guilt factor.

The red velvet cake itself was texturally perfect, but I found the taste of the cream cheese icing to be overpowering. My husband didn't like the taste of the smores cupcake - I don't have an opinion on that, since I'm not a smores lover in general. As for the macaron, I had really high expectations since it was inventive and looked so good. Sadly, the texture of the sandwich halves were not like the classic macarons like I had expected - it was sticky on the teeth and gummy, sorta like a baked meringue. As for the sorbet, it reminded me of ice cream that sat in the freezer for such a long time that you can taste small ice particles in each bite.

I sorta felt like a Chikalicious reject (probably because I want to go there all the time). While Chikalicious will always be my first choice, I won't mind going across to Chikalicious Dessert Club to try out other items in the future.

The Pinnacle of American Chinese Food?

2010-07-07T09:00:00.003-04:00

I admit, I'm a Chinese food snob. I accept American Chinese food, but just when I thought I've seen it all when it comes to American Chinese food, I come across this.

Now, this is a real first. What's fried plantains doing on the Chinese take out menu? I guess you have to cater to what your customers want!

Special 4th of July Stock

2010-07-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July! For those of you who have lobster bake for the celebration, save your shells and the liquid to make stock! I saved mine from a previous mea l and made lobster stock with several heads.

It was relatively easy since I just tossed in whatever I had. Here's what I put in mine:

7 lobster heads (and 2 shells from the tail)
1/2 of a large onion cut into large dice
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 carrot cut into large dice
1 celery stalk cut into large dice
handful of fennel stalks (I always have this in the freezer since I don't like to waste my fennel)
2 tbs tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tbs peppercorns
bunch of fresh thyme
1/2C brandy
2 quarts of liquid from a shrimp & lobster boil

First, I saved just a tiny bit of lobster meat from a previous meal so that I can make lobster risotto with the stock and reserved meat. Then, I put the heads in a stock pot with some oil and let them brown a bit to coax more flavor out of them. I added onions and garlic and let them soften a bit before adding the tomato paste. After about 2 minutes, I added the brandy, and scraped the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful brown bits. The rest of the ingredients went in, followed by water enough to cover the lobster heads.

I boiled the mixture until I thought the liquid was at the right flavor and consistency and was left with about 2 quarts of stock. It took about an hour and a half to two hours in total. I had enough of this flavorful stock full of crustacean goodness to make lobster risotto and a bit less than a cup left to make something else! What else will I make with the remaining stock? Don't worry, I'll be sure to share with you!

Easy Luxurious Meal

2010-07-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday, on a very late afternoon, my husband and I went grocery shopping at Stew's. We wanted something for a quick dinner that night, and Maine lobster was on sale for $4.99/lb. Since we had boiled lobster the week before for father's day, we decided to make lobster rolls for our dinner. I wonder who first thought of pairing something so inexpensive and ordinary like a hot dog bun with with something so special and luxurious like lobster?

It was pretty easy. All we did was boil the lobster (10 minutes for roughly a 1lb lobster), remove the meat, chop them into pieces. The lobsters were soft shell, so it was extra easy to remove the meat, but I prefer hard shell since they retain less water after they're cooked (an enormous amount of water gushed out of ours).

To the lobster meat, we added diced celery, a little bit of old bay, pepper and mayo, and finished the mixture off with a squeeze of lemon juice for freshness. For the buns, we dropped a pat of butter into a pan and added the hot dog buns (sliced side down) to toast them. I served the lobster rolls with some healthy oven baked fries.

It might not be as good as enjoying the lobster roll with shoestring fries at Mary's Fish Camp in NYC, but our dinner was good - the lobsters were fresh and the buns were warm and toasty. To top it off, it was a big bang for our buck since I was able to save the heads for lobster stock!

Meet the Latest Addition to Our Family

2010-06-30T09:00:00.001-04:00

No, it's not another basil plant. As much as I miss my basil plant, I'm not sure if I want to nurture another one again. We bought this thyme plant two months ago.

It is relatively low maintenance - all it needs is direct sun light and just a little bit of water. Thyme is a perfect complement to mushrooms, which I make quite often, especially my Mushroom Pasta. It has an earthy and a slight citrus aroma. I've also used it in making chicken stock. Sadly, two weeks after I brought it home, it became sick. Hoping for a cure, I sprinkled some plant treatment/food that my sister, the avid gardener (aka my plant doctor), gave me.

It has recovered since then, but the plant isn't as full as it was before. Let's hope this herb plant lives longer than my basil.

Anniversary Donuts

2010-06-28T09:00:00.001-04:00

In a blink of an eye, my husband and I reached our first wedding anniversary! To celebrate this occasion, I made a batch of donuts holes, which were what we had the morning after our wedding at Double Crown, a sister restaurant of Public. We had originally planned to go our favorite brunch spot (Public) the day after our wedding, but sadly it was booked for an event. The donut holes at Double Crown were the specials that day, and they were served with a yummy tropical sauce.

The idea of making donuts for our anniversary hit me when I stumbled upon a baked donut recipe. The fact that they were baked (=healthy) made it perfect! They weren't the easiest thing to make though. I had trouble with my yeast to start, but they came out pretty well I thought, except for one thing, which I will show you to come. After I made the dough, I used my cookie cutters to make the donut holes. This is what they looked like after a second rise:

Here they are piping hot out of the oven:

As you can see, my donuts came out looking more like bagels. I'll make sure to use a larger cookie cutter next time. However, I thought the size of the donut holes were perfect.

Here's the final product after a dip in butter and sugar & cinnamon. I made a pineapple coulis (puréed pineapple, lemon juice and sugar) to complete our trip down memory lane.

I thought the texture and taste of the baked donuts were similar to sweet Chinese buns. Overall, these no guilt donuts weren't bad at all!

So Excited!

2010-06-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

I've been using vanilla extract from McCormick, which is widely available in your local supermarkets, and all the while I've been drooling over the premium Nielsen-Massey brand that I see on almost all cooking shows. Finally, I have it in my pantry now!

I admit, it's a splurge, but there is definitely a noticeable difference between McCcormick and Nielsen-Massey. The former has a strong alcohol scent, while the latter is more subtle. The Nielsen-Massey extract has a sweet fragrant vanilla smell, which adds to your final baked goods. I was so excited to use it to make our anniversary pancakes, which were extra special!

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

2010-06-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

I had some wonderfully fragrant Thai basil in the fridge, and decided to use them to make Vietnamese summer rolls. Sure, it's time intensive and not easy to roll these out, but the outcome is so tasty. The difficultly lies in keeping the rice paper from drying out while working on them, and having delicate hands so as to not puncture the soft rice paper.

I had to work around what I had in the refrigerator, so I'd say it was about 80% authentic to the Vietnamese food I've had here in the States. There's no recipe; I just put in what I have and love. Here's what I used in mine: grilled shrimp, carrots (julienned), vermicelli, Thai basil and mesclun salad mix. Put as little or as much as you like. For example, being a big basil lover, I put in at least 2-3 leaves per roll.

Roll them like you would a spring roll. You don't need anything to seal them. The rice paper, after you rehydrate it in water, will stick to itself. Make sure to have a damp paper towel on the finished product so they don't dry out. If during the process you find that the paper is torn, just wrap over your roll with another piece of rice paper.

I served the rolls with three condiments: sweet chili sauce (from the bottle), Nuoc Cham and Sriracha. I made the Nuoc Cham from scratch (fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, red pepper flakes) and adjusted the seasoning to my taste, but you can find a recipe pretty much anywhere.

The Summer Rolls will make a delicious light lunch or a tasty appetizer. Yum!

Goodies from the Japanese Supermarket

2010-06-22T09:00:00.001-04:00

My husband was in a Japanese mood one weekend, so we stopped by Mitsuwa in NJ to do some window shopping. I just love the neat packaging and the exotic ingredients in Japanese goods. Instead of window shopping, we left with some items. My husband was salivating when he saw berkshire pork belly - he just had to have it.

As for me, when I saw these fish cakes, I was intrigued.

I scanned through the ingredients list. MSG aside, the burdock used to make them reminded me of the Japanese fish cakes I had from Hong Kong:

We also got some fragrant shishito peppers and udon. Off we went to make a quick & easy dinner!

Almondine Bakery

2010-06-20T09:00:00.006-04:00

I've heard a lot about Almondine's macarons, and I finally got a chance to try them! My husband and I decided to make a pit stop in Brooklyn on our way to my parents from CT. I never realized that Almondine was a walking distance from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and Grimaldi's. Best of all, it's right across from Jacques Torres! I was so spoiled...macarons in the right hand, Wicked Hot Chocolate in the left.

We got almost every color (flavor) under the rainbow. The macarons from Almondine have the right look, complete with the classic "macaron feet."

The inside look just as good - thin delicate crust that doesn't separate from the rest of the macaron. I wasn't wowed by their flavor, but they tasted good enough. Perhaps I need a second (or third) visit to come to a more definitive decision. Overall, I'd say Almondine's macarons are definitely above average relative to the ones I've tried in NYC so far.

Since we were at Almondine in the morning, we had to get some breakfast (that's right, macarons aren't the breakfast of champions). We filled our bellies with a plain croissant and an almond croissant. They were so flaky and so good! But not as good as the ones from France, of course.

Just thinking about what we had that morning makes me very happy right now! I can't wait til the next time I go home to see my parents (as long as it involves a pit stop.)

See past macaron posts here:
I LOVE Macarons
Financier
Look What I Got My Hands on?
Bouchon Bakery
Payard

Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk

2010-06-18T09:00:00.003-04:00

What's all the fuss about Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk? Not much, if you ask me. It's a pretty unfamiliar cooking method for the masses. The recipe calls for browning the chicken in a pot and doing the remainder of the cooking in the oven with milk and lemon. Yes, it curdles, but that's the beauty of this recipe. The combination of the dairy and acid (much like buttermilk) tenderizes the chicken and makes a supposedly spectacular sauce. Some went as far as to call the sauce "liquid lemon gold."

During:

After:

Sure, the chicken was fall off the bone tender, but we weren't wowed by the flavor. Both my husband and I still prefer a conventional roasted chicken.

The Big Mess of the Zuni Cafe Chicken

2010-06-16T09:00:00.002-04:00

I've been roasting chickens since I had my oven recalibrated. After hearing a lot about Zuni Cafe's roasted chicken, I decided to give it a try. The recipe uses a very different method than the other roasted chicken recipes I've made or seen - it calls for salting the chicken and letting it sit in the fridge for at least a day. At first, I was worried that the salt would draw out all the moisture from the chicken, but it didn't! It acted more like a dry brine. The chicken breasts came out very moist, the best I've had. Unfortunately, that came at a price...

...as you can see from the splatters all over my oven door, my (relatively new and what was spotless) oven did not like the recipe, which called for roasting the chicken at a high 475 degree. The grease from the chicken splattered in every direction as it dripped into the roasting pan.

Well, that is the last time I will ever roast a chicken at such high heat. Thank goodness we have a self cleaning oven (hubby's one requirement when we were oven shopping) and windows in the kitchen for ventilation (my requirement when house hunting).

My Prayers were (Almost) Answered

2010-06-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

My husband and I have been limited by the local supermarket choices here in our town in CT. We've been spoiled in NYC and Boston, where there were more supermarket choices. Currently, there's only Stop & Shop and Shop Rite in our neighborhood. To get quality fresh fish, which we used to make for dinner at least once a week, we would have to drive at least 20 minutes to other nearby towns.

There's Stew's, whose fish selection is great but is a tad better than the usual local supermarkets in terms of quality. There's Whole Foods in Greenwich, but it was the smallest Whole Foods I've ever been in. Plus, I didn't enjoy shopping with women sporting fur coats in the winter. Then, a couple of weeks ago, Whole Foods unveiled its new and large Darien location, a somewhat shorter drive.

I was so very happy to see their fish selection. We left with some fish for dinner that night, quinoa and our favorite nuts medley. Oh, let me tell you about their nuts medley. It's got everything under the sun except for peanuts, sorta ironic huh.

Among the nuts are pistachios, corn nuts, almonds, chickpeas and fava beans. My favorite? The crunchy almonds, fava beans...

...and corn nuts (large and small). The larger one is quicos from Spain.

My least favorite is chickpeas, because of their chalky texture, although I do like the fried chickpeas at Prune.

All in all, our supermarket situation is looking a bit better, and will be even better when Fairway opens in our town this fall (supposedly). To top it off, Whole Foods is looking for a location in our neighborhood! I can't wait!

RIP, My Sweet Basil

2010-06-12T09:00:00.003-04:00

My basil has sadly left us after being with us for less than six months. I repotted the basil after it outgrew its planter, and it had been on a growth spurt ever since. More than a month after, I noticed that the bottom leaves were yellowing. I thought perhaps they weren't getting as much sun as the top leaves.

The basil grew so tall that I had to wrap a rope around it to support the plant. It had started to flower, so I clipped them off, as I learned that it could affect the basil's flavor.

Then I noticed something that looked like root rot and some gray & silver colored spots on the leaves. Its symptoms are some what similar to that of fusarium wilt, which is prevalent in basils after they reach six to twelve inches tall.

I consulted my sister, the avid gardener (aka my plant doctor), who suggested that I cut off the infected leaves. It couldn't be saved. The disease quickly reached the top of the plant afterwards. Prior to its end, the leaves were covered with large brown spots. It happened quite fast.

I miss my basil...it spoiled me, really. I made my roasted tomato pasta recently, and felt it was missing the extra flavor from fresh basil. Well, at least it served its purpose while it was with us in the past few months.

Stew's Fresh Produce?

2010-06-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

My husband and I have been doing a good part of our grocery shopping at Stew Leonard's since we moved to CT, mostly because of their incredible prices on milk, their fresh beef and their fresh cider donut holes. So imagine my disappointment when I cut into their Golden Delicious apples the day after I brought them home:

The fuzzies weren't in one apple, but two! What are the chances of that?

I'm Alive!

2010-06-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

I know, I've been m.i.a. for a month now. I've been buried under a mountain of books. In fact, this is what I've been dealing with that required me to give up Martha for quite a few months.

It was not my intention to stop blogging...I had actually pre-blogged some material, but somehow just couldn't keep up. My sister has been asking about my return, so I'm back! Stay tuned!

Pork Loin Roast

2010-05-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

I'm not a huge carnivore, but my husband is. Given that I've started to dabble in pork, I thought that a pork loin roast would make a nice dinner...I could pick on my favorite burnt/crispy edges.

So I did some searching on Martha Stewart's archives and got my hands on an easy recipe that uses pantry items like fennel and garlic. We got a bone-in pork loin that didn't quite look like a typical loin...it had an extra layer of meat that I left on.

The bone-in pork loin roast came out juicy and flavorful. The hardest part was frenching the bones. I'd say that getting the meat off the bones took about 45 minutes because I'm very particular, but it was all worth it.

Pizza at Home

2010-04-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

When my husband and I were dating, we made pizza together. Boboli was our pizza crust of choice because it was widely available in supermarkets and was fuss free. Making pizza is low key, intimate and fun - there's no recipe and we can top it with whatever we want. Some times my husband and I would work on a pizza together, other times we would make two individual pizzas and see whose tasted better. We've graduated to using fresh dough from the supermarket now, and it's just as fun! Recently, we made a mushroom with caramelized onions and gorgonzola pizza.

Rolling out the dough was the hard part, but it was nevertheless fun. My husband wanted to throw the dough up in the air like they do on TV, but I advised him that it wasn't a good idea. The way we did it was to stretch the dough while holding it up at the same time so gravity would give us an extra hand in stretching it some more. I think we got the hang of it now.

Surprisingly, I was impressed by the supermarket pizza dough. The pockets of air in the baked crust were just like what we had in serious pizza joints. It wasn't the flatbread-like pizza that we had at Remo's here in CT (and by flat, I mean flat).

Not too bad, huh.

Txikito - the Secret is Out

2010-04-26T09:00:00.003-04:00

My husband was craving NY and something new. He did some homework and brought us to Txikito, which features the cuisine of the Basque Country. It's a casual little restaurant on an unassuming block in Chelsea. I had no clue what I was walking into, since I didn't do the research. Let me tell you, I've never had food like this in NY. It made my tummy very happy. I wished I could say the same for our wallet.

Txikito's menu is dominated by small plates at non-small plate prices. My favorite item by far was their squid ribbons with a sweet onion and pine nut sauce (Txipiron "Encebollado"). The lovely ribbons cut from squids were cooked a la plancha, giving it a nice delicate grilled taste. The sauce added the perfect richness to the dish, which looked clean and simple but tasted far more than that. It was so good, I had to hold myself back from ordering another one.

Everything else we had were just as good. The Bouqueron (anchovy), served on bite sized toasts, had just the right amount of sweetness and acidity from a sliver of piquillo pepper. The Gambas Plantxa (shrimp), was tasty and simple in its preparation - I only wished the giant shrimps had a fresher taste. As for the meat dishes, my husband declared that Txikito had the best tongue (Lengua) he's ever had. Morros Prensados (veal jowl terrine) and its delicious fattiness completed his meal.

Unfortunately for us, we're not the only fans of this restaurant. Turns out that David Chang of Momofuku is one too. Look out for the stampede!

Repotting My Baby, Part II

2010-04-24T09:00:00.003-04:00

I am happy to announce that the repotting of my basil was a success! Thanks to some Miracle Grow and plant food from my sister, the avid gardener, my basil has gone through a huge growth spurt. It wasn't without some dirty work though.

There were some white bugs living in the Miracle Grow, so I sterilized it by baking it in the oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes before I used it to fill the new container. The container was much bigger than the original one (see photo below), but it was the only one I had. After I put in the basil and filled in the rest of the container with the soil, I sprinkled on a little bit of plant food and watered the basil to make sure the soil stayed moist. This is what my basil looked like a little more than a week after it was repotted...

...and more than two weeks after...

The yellow leaves were no longer...

...look at it now!

Repotting My Baby, Part I

2010-04-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

I was so thrilled to add basil to my family that I've been keeping an eye on this little growing baby every day. After having it for more than a month, I noticed that it was starting to look sad. I had to get down to the root of the problem (pun intended).

The first obvious problem was that the leaves near the bottom of the plant were turning yellow.

I took a look at the bottom of the plant and don't recall seeing roots sticking out of the pot when I first brought it home. I had a hunch that maybe it was outgrowing its original home.

I called my sister, who I think is the other half of my being Martha since she's the avid gardener (and I'm the avid cook), so she can diagnose my plant. The plant doctor said yellowing could mean 2 things: over-watering or it has outgrown the pot. The fact that you can see its roots indicates the latter. I had a much larger pot lying around. All I needed was some soil from the good doctor, then we'll be good to go.

Stay tuned for my baby's new home!

Easy Bone Marrow

2010-04-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

If you're cooking for carnivores who would eat any cut of meat (like my husband), have I found something easy and greasy for you and your loved ones. My husband salivates every time he sees bone marrow in the supermarket. I've never made it for him, but I thought it was never too late to start.

I turned to Martha Stewart for a bone marrow recipe. It was so easy, simple and fast. Just be careful when taking it out of the oven as the grease bubbles and splatters. You can see that we used a kitchen towel in our photo above.

My husband really enjoyed the freshness from the parsley and lemon, and the kick from the horseradish in the gremolata. Toast is the classic accompaniment to soak up the greasy goodness (you spread the marrow like butter onto the toast), but on that night, my husband devoured the marrow with some crackers, a fennel orange salad and baked ziti. The pasta was more for me since I'm not a carnivore.

Let me end this post with a recommendation: moderation is key, so I would not serve this to your loved ones too often.

Won't Miss the Butter Pear Muffins

2010-04-18T09:00:00.007-04:00

My father gave me a couple of Asian pears that were past their prime, so I had to find a way to eat them fast. It would be boring if I just chop them up and eat them every day. Plus, the best way of dealing with over ripe fruit is by cooking them (think banana nut bread), so I searched for a pear breakfast recipe that I can serve my husband in the morning (I've been on a mission to get him fat...well, more like less skinny).

Recipes like that were hard to come by, so when I found a Weight Watchers recipes for Glazed Pear Muffins, I went for it. I ordinary don't go out of my way to make something low fat, nor do I like icing or glaze, so I was very pleasantly surprised by how well they turned out.

I was skeptical at first. The recipe did not call for any butter or oil at all. Even Ellie Kreiger's healthy low fat muffins call for at least a couple of tablespoons worth of grease. The Weight Watchers muffins came out looking dry, but don't let it fool you. The recipe uses sour cream, milk and natural juices from the fruit to keep it moist. Spices like cinnamon and ginger kept it flavorful and warm, and the lemon juice really brought out the fruit and added brightness.

If you know me, you would know by now that I made the recipe by own. Here's what I did:

instead of Bosc pears, I used my Asian pears, and removed their skin
I like texture in my baked goods, so I added some chopped walnuts (about 1/4C)
instead of using water to make the glaze, I used lemon juice to add tang and flavor
I wasn't aiming to make it totally low fat, so I used the 2% milk that I had, not the fat free milk called for
I grated some lemon zest into the batter for added flavor (about 1 Tbs)

Between the moisture in the muffins and the yummy glaze, you won't miss the grease. I sure didn't!

What's New at Chikalicious

2010-04-16T09:00:00.006-04:00

It's no secret that I love Chikalicious, and I'm sharing that love with you again. I was lucky enough to go there not long ago and thoroughly enjoyed my three course dessert. Sadly, I can't say the same for my husband, who I didn't know had a weak stomach for kiwis. One of the items on their ever changing menu was a Short Bread Napoleon with Lavender Kiwis.

As for myself, I had the Pineapple Sorbet with Lemongrass Panna Cotta, paired with a lovely glass of La Spinetta Moscato d'Asti. The lightness of the sorbet was perfect with the richness of the panna cotta.

I was very happy to see that Chika was still working behind the dessert bar even after their very well-deserved success and new ventures (Dessert Club, a deal with a hotel I heard). Not much in NYC stays the same, but I really hope this place does. I'll overlook their hours changed to being closed 3 days a week - Chika needs her rest so she can have more energy to make more delicious desserts! :-)

See past Chikalicious posts:
Chikalicious (this is where I first declared my love for the place after numerous visits)
Chikalicious, Round II

Savory Bread Pudding

2010-04-14T09:00:00.004-04:00

I had half a loaf of very stale French bread, and I hate putting food to waste. What to do, what to do? The solution: rehydrate it. It was hot outside, so I thought a light dinner with Savory Bread Pudding and Asparagus "Fettuccine" would be perfect. Martha Stewart didn't have a recipe for me, so I found a recipe from Food & Wine that was exactly what I wanted - it called for ingredients that I already had in the pantry: frozen spinach, jarred artichokes, milk, scallions and cheese.

It turned out just the way I had imagined. The parmesan cheese added so much flavor, and the mozzarella formed a perfect crust on top of the pudding. Best of all, you would never think from the moist interior of the pudding that the bread was rock hard just 30 minutes ago. I am definitely saving this recipe, which could be a great brunch item too.

Asparagus "Fettuccine"

2010-04-12T09:00:00.004-04:00

It's only early spring and the temperature had hit the 80's already...time for a light dinner! Since asparagus is in season, I went hunting for an asparagus recipe. I found a couple of recipes that shaved the vegetable into thin delicate ribbons and paired them with parmesan cheese. I love roasted asparagus, but I was also interested in trying it raw.

Raw asparagus tastes surprisingly smoky on its own, but my husband couldn't tell the difference between cooked vs. raw after I assembled the Asparagus "Fettuccine." For the dish, I shaved the asparagus into thin strips (taking care not to take the first strip, which is purely skin), tossed them with some lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil (organic olive oil we bought in Greece!) and salt & pepper. A couple of sprinkles of parmesan cheese finished the dish.

It was a refreshing dish, but I will definitely use more lemon juice next time to wake up the flavors. I served the fettuccine with a savory bread pudding. The entire meal can be a great brunch too!

Pumpkin Pancake from Scratch

2010-04-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

More than a year ago, I posted a pumpkin mixture that could be added to your good ol'pancake mix from the box. My husband (then boyfriend) had a box of the dry mix at the time and I wanted to do something "out of the box." This time around, I used a pumpkin pancake recipe from scratch, which is how I like to make all my pancakes.

The pancakes were light and airy, thanks to the whipped egg whites. I jazzed it up by adding cranberries, but felt something was missing. After the meal, I thought about adding zest in the pancakes next time. Little did I know that I had forgotten that I added zest last time in my pumpkin mixture! The zest adds a freshness and enhances the pumpkin flavor. I will definitely add it next time.

My Foray into Quinoa

2010-04-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

Quinoa is a grain-like crop that has grown in popularity along with healthy eating and the organic movement in the past few years. I've never had it until recently at Public in the form of a mind blowingly good hashbrown. Turns out that quinoa is pretty easy to cook.

I made my first quinoa like I did couscous. I cooked it in homemade chicken broth for flavor (according to the package instructions), added some lemon juice to brighten it up and scallions to finish. It tasted more assertive than couscous, which is more like a delicate pasta. You can definitely taste the grain-like qualities in quinoa. I will no doubt have it again.

Coffee Cake Muffin

2010-04-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

I've been baking almost every weekend for breakfast...it's something special that hopefully shows how much I love my husband. I wanted to test out our new muffin pan and have some sour cream in the fridge, so I started hunting for a recipe on Martha Stewart's website. My hunt led me to Coffee Cake Muffin. For those unfamiliar with coffee cakes: despite the name, there is no coffee in them - they are simply meant to be enjoyed with coffee. Deceiving huh.

The sound of a cake turned into muffin form was intriguing. Add to it that it had John Barracelli's name on it (the baker behind SoNo Baking Co. in Norwalk, and best known for being under the Martha Stewart umbrella). I had to try it.

Turned out that the recipe was just okay...it wasn't mind blowing or spectacular. I thought the 1/2 tsp cinnamon called for in the recipe was just too little, so I doubled it. Other wise I would've had more bland tasting coffee cake muffins than that. I also added butter to the streusel to make it crumbly, the way my husband likes it. The muffins had the right amount of moisture, but I thought it was a bit too delicate for muffins. I think I'll keep on hunting.

High Elevation Baking & Cooking

2010-04-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

Everything I have cooked with my new oven took longer than the recipes called for (my first and second roasted chicken being the obvious ones). I thought I was going insane, or at least lost my touch with cooking. Then I knew something was really off when I baked my go-to Cranberry Oatmeal cookies, which took about 5 minutes longer than they should have. So we had our oven serviced, but the experts said it was fine but I can calibrate the oven temperature to my liking up to 35 degrees higher. Why would I want to do that? Isn't the 350 degrees displayed on the oven really 350? Yes, but every oven works differently they said. I've heard that before on TV, and still didn't understand. Then my husband suggested that maybe the elevation had to do with it. Bingo.

Little did I know that elevation threw a curve ball in my baking and cooking. Stamford is 360+ft above sea level, compared to only 20+ft where I used to live in NY. Add to it that we now live in a high rise (check out our amazing sunset above). Granted, we're not talking about thousands of feet of difference here, but I will definitely have to adjust my oven to a higher temperature. From what I gather, dough rises faster in high elevation and water takes longer to boil as well. A higher oven temperature will make sure that your dough won't rise more than it should and make water boil in the time that it should.

I've calibrated my oven to 10 degrees higher. So far, I've had success with cooking bone-in chicken breast within a reasonable amount of time. The real test will be another batch of cookies or another roasted chicken. I'll keep you posted!

Dear America's Test Kitchen

2010-04-02T09:00:00.005-04:00

Dear America's Test Kitchen,

I am a food enthusiast and a fan of America's Test Kitchen. I would be more than happy to be your Chinese fact checker, a person who I believe you need.

Sincerely yours,
Martha Fung

Tempting as it may be, I didn't send them a letter like that. I love America's Test Kitchen, but their latest Cook's Illustrated magazine put doubt in my mind. To me, America's Test Kitchen is the authority on putting science behind cooking, ingredients and equipment. I never thought they would get facts wrong. So imagine my surprise and disappointment when I found this on the back cover of the March & April 2010 edition of Cook's Illustrated:

Among the list of Asian vegetables presented was Chinese Broccoli (芥蘭), which is a leafy green vegetable with a tough but edible stem. Having grown up with plenty of Chinese vegetables, I knew that wasn't it. What was illustrated was Shanghai Bok Choy (上海白菜). Bok Choy (白菜) translates to "White Vegetable," which is the appropriate name for the illustration.

On Cooking Chinese

2010-03-30T09:00:00.003-04:00

I admit, I should cook more Chinese food at home. I wish I could. Besides the spring rolls and dumplings I make that are staples in my freezer, the most frequent dish I make is fried rice. It's not exactly easy (tons of elbow grease needed), but it's not that difficult either (doesn't require hours of time).

There are a couple of reasons (excuses) for me to not cook more Chinese food:

First, there's access. The nearest Asian grocery store is in the next town over in Norwalk. Although they do have the basic necessities, it's a know what you want to get and get it done place. It's not a place for dilly dallying, which is what I like to do in supermarkets. You never know what you'd want for dinner until you see it, right?

Second, there's time. Contrary to what most Americans think, Chinese food does not start and end with stir fry, which is quick to make. Cooking Chinese food is time consuming - we don't use ovens, and everything is cooked with a wok. Add to it that a typical Chinese dinner is made up of more than 2 dishes. Who's got the time to make all that in a wok? And then there's Chinese soup, which takes hours to cook - it's not as simple as sauteing onions, add your veggies, spices and stock, then blend like baby food.

Third and finally, there's my husband. He simply doesn't enjoy the dishes I enjoy. He can care less for Chinese soup. And there are some Chinese ingredients I don't dare to keep in my pantry for fear that it may stink up the kitchen. Plus, he may not eat those ingredients either. For example, I've been craving water spinach (蕹菜) sauteed with garlic and fermented bean curd (腐乳). I know, anything fermented sounds bad, but it tastes good. My husband begs to differ.

Obstacles (and excuses) aside, I have been making serious efforts to make more Chinese dishes. I'll be sharing them with you in the near future!

Takashimaya is Closing :-(

2010-03-28T09:00:00.003-04:00

I'm so sad to see the recent announcement from Takashimaya that it will be closing in June. Takashimaya is a specialty Japanese department store in NYC that sells unique gifts, extremely beautiful flowers, jewelry, clothing, and most of all, tea. I first learned of this store when my husband brought me there many years ago to buy loose tea from their wide selection that ranged from the classic Japanese Genmaicha (toasted rice and popcorn), Rose tea, to our favorite, Mango tea, which we still have today.

Takashimaya is like eye candy for me. I feel like I've walked into a museum every single time. And like most museums, you can retreat to their cafe/restaurant (called the Tea Box) when you get tired from wandering the place.

I will definitely miss this store, but I will always have the memories of going there, holding hands with with my husband, walking into this gem that welcomes you with the sight of beautiful, fragrant flowers.

Finding the Magic Number on Our Waffle Iron

2010-03-26T09:00:00.002-04:00

My husband was craving waffles, so we cracked open our new waffle iron (thanks sis!). Our waffle iron isn't the popular professional looking one from Waring that my brother has; it's the Villaware that Alton Brown recommended. We started with a basic waffle recipe that my brother is a fan of to figure out which setting on our waffle iron would make the best color and texture. We had tried out Alton Brown's waffle recipe a while ago and decided not to use that one because we wanted a lighter waffle with less richness.

We started off with the number 4 setting, but it didn't produce the golden brown color (above). After 2 more waffles, we came to the conclusion that 5 and a half was the perfect setting for us (below).

On one of our recent trips to Whole Foods, we stumbled upon rock sugar sold in bulk. Immediately, my husband became excited at the prospect of making Gaufres de Liege, Belgian waffle's cousin, because the rock sugar resembles Belgian pearl sugar that's used in Gaufres de Liege. Making Gaufres de Liege is far more intricate than making the plain ol'Belgian waffles that are topped with fruit/whipped cream/syrup combo. I guess the last Gaufres de Liege my brother and I made were pretty memorable for my husband. We'll definitely be attempting that next with our waffle iron.

See past waffles posts here:
Waffles Quest, Part I
Waffles Quest, Part II

Something New at Public

2010-03-24T09:00:00.011-04:00

Over the weekend, my husband and I went out to NYC to do some furniture shopping (furniture stores are somewhat limited here in our area in CT). Sadly, we did not have enough time to stop by any of the participating bakeries for Macaron Day 2010, as mostly all of them were located in Midtown. On the bright side, we stopped by Public, one of our favorite restaurants, for brunch. I had always depended on Public for their bloody marys and something different & tasty. While the former had slipped in quality, I still enjoy their refreshing approach to food.

I always get their delicious Tea Smoked Salmon Benedict for brunch, so I thought I would try something different this time around. I ordered their Ginger Spiced Lychee French Toast, a relatively new item on their menu. The golden brown french toast sat on a lemongrass dark palm caramel that resembled chocolate sauce. Although I did not taste ginger or lemongrass, I thought it was nicely done dish. I've never had lychee with french toast before, and I'd say it added a needed lightness to french toast that's often rich and heavy.

The highlight of brunch was the Quinoa Hash. I'm relatively new to quinoa, so being introduced to this grain-like crop in such a way made me see its many possibilities. The hash had a wonderful mild falafel-like spice. I especially loved the crispy exterior that was enhanced by the crunchy little grains, a perfect contrast to the soft and slightly moist interior.

I really hope the bloody marys at Public go back to the way they were. For now, I'm fully inspired and will definitely be attempting the quinoa hash at home in the future.

What to Do with Stinky Cheese

2010-03-22T09:00:00.004-04:00

I had no problem with cheese, whether it's stilton, goat, manchego, cheddar, brie, etc., until now. My husband picked out a cheese called Morbier at Whole Foods that I was less than excited about to eat. I was pretty much turned off by the ingredient description at the store (vegetable ash) and the smell (like extremely stinky feet or garbage). I was hesitant but kept an open mind since a lot of cheeses smell bad but taste good. Now, I've never licked extremely stinky feet or ate garbage before, but it sure tasted like they way it smelled.

Morbier is a very assertive and strong cheese. There's a layer of ash that runs through the cheese that adds a rather unpleasant gritty texture that cracks between your teeth.

At $15/lb, I couldn't toss it out, so I thought of ways to use it. Instead of eating it with crackers, I thought perhaps cooking with it would mellow out the flavors (or at least hide it). Boy was I glad that it worked! Here's how I worked them into my dishes:

In my Oven Roasted Tomato Pasta - I cut the Morbier into little pieces, about a tablespoon worth, and put it in the bottom of my pasta bowl before adding the hot pasta and roasted tomato. After the heat from the pasta melted the cheese, I tossed the pasta around to ensure even distribution. I topped the pasta with freshly chopped parsley and basil (my favorite). The cheese added an extra layer of flavor and richness without being too strong. Aside from the gritty ash, I thought it turned out very well.

In Turkey Meatballs - I stuffed little pieces of the cheese inside the meatballs and left out the vegetable ash because I didn't want the gritty texture. Some of the cheese oozed out while I was pan frying the meatballs, but most of it remained inside.

In Ricotta Gnocchi - Pretty much the same concept as what I did in the Oven Roasted Tomato Pasta, except that I cooked the tomatoes in a pan with some white wine, shallots and garlic before adding the cheese. As for the gnocchi themselves, I pan fried them for texture before adding the sauce. The garbage cheese did not overpower the ricotta in the gnocchi.

Don't get me wrong, although the Morbier worked in my dishes, I will not buy it ever again. I like to enjoy cheeses on their own, and Moriber definitely doesn't make the cut.

Holy Moly Macaron Day

2010-03-20T09:00:00.009-04:00

I've had my head buried in books and in my house for a while now, so imagine my surprise and excitement when my sister forwarded me a link to the first annual Macaron Day 2010! Apparently, the day was started 5 years ago by Pierre Hermé, another wizard of macarons in Paris (sadly, I was so in love with Laduree while I was in Paris that I did not even consider Pierre Hermé.) Francois Payard, the French pastry & dessert king, is now carrying the torch in the U.S.!

In honor of Macaron Day today, more than two handful of bakeries are offering one free macaron per customer. The list includes all the macaron heavy weights such as:

Bouchon (average to good macarons in my opinion),
Payard (very good macarons...probably haven't changed since the original Payard Patisserie & Bistro had sadly closed),
La Maison du Chocolat (a different kind of macaron),
Macaron Cafe (very good macarons but I have yet to blog about them),
Almondine (I've heard a lot about their macarons but have yet to try),
Madeleine Patisserie (not recommended), and more.

You will definitely find this macaron fanatic in Macaron Day 2010! I am sad though, to think that the growing popularity of macarons in the U.S. might make them less special in my eyes (ala law of diminishing return). A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted how these babies have gotten very popular, so much that even McDonald's in Paris are offering macarons now and even Starbucks in the U.S. have offered them during the holidays. Word had it too that Trader Joe's is now selling frozen macarons. Sigh.

Although I am worried, I do believe that there are true macaron fans out there who have tasted the real, authentic macarons from France and know how to spot the bad ones here in the States. I just hope macarons won't turn into what Chinese food have turned into in the U.S. - that it adapts to the American taste buds and loses its authenticity.

See past macaron posts here:
I LOVE Macarons
Financier
Look What I Got My Hands on?
Bouchon Bakery
Payard

Color Added?

2010-03-18T09:00:00.002-04:00

I'm not a big fan of food coloring, the most popular ones I've seen being red #40 and yellow #5. I'd rather see food companies use something natural, like beet juice for red and turmeric for yellow.

Now, I've heard of color being used on fruits to make them look better, but never have I seen that stated on packaging. Needless to say, I was surprised to see it in the sack of oranges my husband brought home recently.

My question is, if the food that is being produced tastes good, why add coloring? That only makes me suspicious in consuming the food.

Dumplings Evolution

2010-03-16T09:00:00.003-04:00

When I first started making dumplings, I took the easy way out - I simply pinched the edges together and made what looked like subtle waves with my fingers. The result was rather flat looking dumplings.

As I gained more experience in making dumplings, I decided to make pleats. The dumplings end up more plump. Sure, it took more time to make, but it's worth it in the end - every bite is full of filling, and the dumplings stand up on their own looking so pretty.

The pleats look impressive and professional. What I love is that they need not look perfect because you can hardly tell after they're cooked.

One day when I get a third hand to help with the camera, I'll share with you the step by step to making the pleats.

Easy Fish in Less than 30 Minutes

2010-03-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

I like to cook what's fresh and on sale at the supermarket. So when my husband and I spotted a sale on red snapper at Whole Foods, we jumped on it. Whole fishes are not easy to find outside of Asian markets, and they're especially lacking where we live now in CT. When I used to have access to Chinatown in NYC, I loved dropping by the fish stalls whenever I wanted and end up making a delicious sea bass with hot oil and scallions for dinner. Anyways, the snappers' eyes were nice and clear at Whole Foods - a sign of freshness. So a simple preparation was best.

The fish was cleaned at the store, so I gave it a good rinse, dried it, sprinkled salt & pepper outside and inside, and stuffed it with some parsley, 1 glove of garlic and 2 lemon slices. My husband put it in the oven at 375 degrees. It was done in less than 15 minutes and was flavorful.

We washed it down with a $6.99 bottle of wine from Whole Foods that's a chardonnay and viognier blend (did you know that they offer a 10% discount if you buy 6 or more bottles?) It was another easy perfect meal.

Curry Pot Pie

2010-03-12T09:00:00.007-05:00

Curry Pot Pie may sound unconventional and weird, but it did not taste weird at all. In fact, my husband really enjoyed it. Believe it or not, Curry Pot Pie was my (double) left over creation.

I was sick of eating meat one night, so I took out my very fragrant curry powder and made a vegetable curry with potatoes, carrots and white beans. It was a satisfying meal when served over rice.

Two nights later, I shredded my left over roasted chicken and added it to the left over vegetable curry, got myself a pie crust recipe from Martha Stewart that didn't require shortening, wrapped it over my baking dish like a blanket, and voila, Curry Pot Pie. The flaky and crunchy crust was perfect against the creamy curry.

For the vegetable curry, I used the amount of curry powder for the spiciness I wanted. You can always adjust it to the intensity that you want, and add in whatever you have in your pantry to your liking (potatoes and carrots are a must for me, and fish balls if you're Chinese):

Vegetable Curry
Serves 4

1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 15oz. can beans (I wanted to use chickpeas, but used white beans instead)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into medium dices
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into medium dices
2 15oz. can chicken stock
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk (I prefer coconut milk, but didn't have it on hand)
salt & pepper to taste
oil for cooking

In a heavy soup pot over medium heat, cook onions in oil until translucent. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add curry powder and cook for about 3 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, beans, chicken stock and salt & pepper. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

To thicken up the curry, smash some potatoes using the back of a spoon or a fork. Add milk to finish. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve over rice.

I have also made curry using chicken, and it's even more flavorful. Just brown some chicken thighs or drumsticks in the pot before starting this recipe. Remove the chicken from the pot, and add them back into the curry after you've added the chicken stock.

The Future of the Best Pinapple Buns at Risk?

2010-03-10T09:00:00.007-05:00

Manna House Bakery, my favorite spot for pineapple buns (菠蘿包), was reported by Grub Street to have lost its lease on Grand St., NYC. These buns are Chinese breads with a sweet crunchy topping of sugar and egg. Despite its name, there's no pineapple involved. It is the scoring by the knife that creates the look of a pineapple exterior - some bakeries do it, some don't (Manna House belongs to the latter camp).

Ah, the days when I used to run down just around the corner to the bakery to get some warm, freshly baked pineapple buns in the morning. Thankfully, they still have 2 other stores, the nearest being a block away on Mott St. Let's hope they won't go anywhere.

Chicken Stock, Round 2

2010-03-08T09:00:00.003-05:00

I made chicken stock again using the carcass from my second roast chicken attempt. This time around, I used Alton Brown's recipe and cooked it for a whopping 4 hours compared to 2 hours last time using Martha Stewart's Everyday Food recipe.

The result? A more intense chicken stock. Another noticeable difference is the gelatinous quality I did not get last time. This is one serious chicken stock!

Oh Snap!

2010-03-06T09:00:00.002-05:00

David Chang is reportedly "snubbed" in the International Association of Culinary Professionals cookbook awards. Among the finalists are big names like Thomas Keller (Per Se, French Laundry), Marcus Samuelsson (Aquavit), John Besh (August) and more. I have not flipped through the book, entitled Momofuku, but you know how I feel about his restaurant.

See past posts about Momofuku here:
Pork Buns
Ramen - Part I, Part II

What's a Tangelo?

2010-03-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

"What's a Tangelo?" I asked when I spotted these intensely orange colored fruits at Whole Foods. Turns out they're a cross between grapefruits and tangerines.

They were really juicy with a mild sweetness. I would say they tasted like mild tangerines.

Even though I'm not a big fan of grapefruits, I don't mind tangelos much. But if I want a tangerine, I'd go for a tangerine.

The End of Our Kitchen Renovation, Finally!

2010-03-02T09:00:00.004-05:00

I can't tell you how nice it feels to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. And now, the big reveal of our kitchen after a much needed face lift!

If you recall, this was the before photo:

Here are the details behind this kitchen:

Cabinets - The existing cabinets had relatively good bones, so we had them painted white. We did a lot of research and decided to leave the job to the professionals, who chose White Satin Impervo from Benjamin Moore. Sanding and painting 4 coats for 29 cabinet doors and more just wasn't for us.

Countertops - The cracked corian was replaced with a grey granite called "Platinum Blue." I made sure our granite was not sourced from China, as I've heard that their product could be injected with color that will fade over time. We went with Home Depot, but will never again! I'll save that story for another time.

Backsplash - I wanted a classic look with staying power. Out went the mirror backsplash and in came the grey subway marble tiles.

Paint - We chose a sky blue called "Beacon Grey" from Benjamin Moore for the walls to complement the subtle hints of blue in our granite countertop and to bring the sky indoors. Grey can dreary, so we wanted to add a lively brightness to the room. The minimal amount of grey in the paint worked out perfectly. We also painted the ceiling to get rid of the years of grease that somehow splattered at least five feet up.

Appliances - Stainless steel ones now replace the old white turned yellow appliances.

Cabinet Hardware - We replaced the old, worn down wooden handles that matched the cabinets' putty color with new stainless steel ones to go with our new appliances, sink and faucet. They are like jewelry that totally transformed the look of the cabinetry.

Lights - We swapped out the headache causing fluorescent lights with modern track lights. Now we can point them to wherever we need.

See past Kitchen Renovation posts here:
Part I
Part II
Part III

Kitchen Renovation, Part III

2010-02-28T09:00:00.006-05:00

The last item on our to do list for the much needed kitchen face lift is the backsplash. The old mirror backsplash simply had to go. I didn't mind it much, because it made the kitchen appear larger, and no grout lines meant easy cleanup. But the countertop professionals said they could not do their job with them still attached to the wall.

In a perfect world, I would use glass tiles on our new backsplash. However, they can easily run over $10/sq ft (some even over $20/sq ft), so they are far from budget friendly. Although my eyes are drawn to dreamy glass tiles, I had to stick to reality.

So plan B was subway tiles - they have been around forever, have a classic look and are making a come back. To take it up a notch from the plain white ceramic variety, my husband and I decided to go with white/grey marble. The marble variety we found cost less than glass tiles. Although they are more expensive than ceramic tiles, the cost differential will be minimal since we have less than 20 sq ft of wall that needed to be tiled. Between the granite countertop and marble backsplash, I hope there's no such thing as too much natural stone. Come to think of it, I hope there isn't too much pattern going on between the two to the point where it becomes overwhelming.

Out with the mirror backsplash, and in are the marble subway tiles! Here's a sneak peek at the backsplash that's work in progress.

The look to our backsplash will be classic and clean with the use of white grout. I'm not a fan of white grout as it is not forgiving when it comes to dirt and grease, but that is the only color that will work with the existing kitchen color schemes. I also learned that marble can absorb color, so a colored grout may not be ideal. We're having both the grout and marble sealed, so hopefully they'll still look good years from now.

Stay tuned for the big reveal!

Kitchen Renovation, Part II

2010-02-26T09:00:00.007-05:00

For our kitchen face lift, we worked with the existing grey floor tiles and grout. I flipped through plenty of magazines to get inspirations. I knew I wanted a classic, timeless look with some modern elements, and I was mostly drawn to kitchens with carrara marble - there's just something about subtle grey combined with bright white that look so classic and clean. Knowing I shouldn't blow my budget on carrara marble, I decided to just use the color scheme of white and grey, with blue accents for a pop of color.

We went to this (so far):

from this:

Almost everything had to be worked on, from the cabinets, countertops, walls, ceiling, appliances, cabinet hardware, sink, faucet, electrical to lights. And I won't leave out the scrubbing that I did throughout the kitchen - grout, cabinet interior, floor and hinges. What's left to do now is the backsplash. Stay tuned!

Kitchen Renovation, Part I

2010-02-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

As you can tell from my recent posts, I've been busy cooking in the kitchen. Our kitchen is currently functional, but not 100% complete as we're still missing the backsplash. When we bought our house, we sorta knew what we were dealing with. We knew we didn't have to gut the kitchen, but what we didn't know was that the cabinets smelled and the kitchen had a roach problem. One of the two problems was easily fixed, thanks to several roach bombs, but we're still trying to figure out the remaining one. Apparently, baking soda doesn't cure all.

The L-shaped kitchen had a good layout and the cabinets had good bones, so we gave it a huge face lift. We had the "putty" colored cabinets (thanks to my sis for naming the color of the cabinets when I failed to find a color to describe it) painted white, replaced the dingy, what used to be white but is now yellow appliances with stainless steel ones, replaced the fluorescent light boxes with modern track lights, replaced the cracked corian countertops with granite, painted the kitchen from a dirty pale green to sky blue, and lastly, I gave it a deep cleaning since the previous owners appeared to have never cleaned.

We went from before:

to during:

Here's a sneak peek of the painted cabinet doors:

Stay tuned for an almost finished kitchen!

My Second Roast Chicken Attempt

2010-02-22T09:00:00.003-05:00

I was determined to roast a perfect chicken after my first attempt that didn't go exactly smooth. So when Stew's had a sale on chickens, I didn't hold back. This time around, I abandoned using the convection function in my oven, and am one step closer to my goal.

I followed Julia Child's recipe once again, but I had to make modifications. After cooking the chicken for the stated time, I wasn't satisfied with the color I got, so I increased the heat to 425 degrees and roasted it for another 20 minutes. The results? Nice color, and perfectly cooked! My only criticism is that it wasn't as tasty as last time, possibly because I didn't stuff the chicken with as much garlic and onion as I did last time. I definitely see a third attempt in the future.

Off to making chicken stock now with the carcass. You really can't beat a $5 chicken that keeps on giving.

Popovers for a Low Key Celebration

2010-02-20T09:00:00.007-05:00

My husband and I recently celebrated a low key 10yr anniversary with some bubbly, cheese, oysters and freshly baked popovers. I was first introduced to popovers when my husband brought me to a popover joint many years ago. Sadly, the place had closed down since.

The aptly named pastries are baked in specialized pans or muffin tins and pops over the pan once they're done. I found an easy recipe from Martha Stewart, and made half of mine savory and the other half sweet. It didn't turn out bad at all for a first timer, except for that I didn't have enough batter for all twelve for some strange reason.

These delicate pastries are light - they are full of air pockets and can be filled with whatever you please. I believe when I had mine at the popover joint, it was filled with chicken, cheese and veggies. I'm not into filling them with such heavy ingredients, so I left the ones I made pretty plain. For the savory variety that I had baked, I added zest from half a lemon, freshly ground pepper and 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley to the batter. For the sweet ones, I added 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon sugar.

They are best when eaten hot. Just imagine the wonderful aroma and the gentle steam escaping out of these babies when you bite into them. Yum!

Hoisin-Marinated Chicken, Reinvented

2010-02-18T09:00:00.002-05:00

We have left overs every night since I started cooking daily. Instead of eating the same dish the day after, I try to reinvent them. One night, I made Ming Tsai's delicious Hoisin-Marinated Chicken with rice and pea shoots. The next day, I shredded up the chicken and added a fresh crunchy cabbage slaw to make a wrap for lunch.

On a related note, when I cooked the chicken, I made a small substitute in the chicken marinade. The recipe called for red wine. I had none, so I substituted with white wine. The result was a less intense flavor. Although it was unnoticeable to my husband, I will stick to the recipe and use red wine next time.

Meet The Newest Addition to Our Family!

2010-02-16T09:00:00.002-05:00

We are proud to announce the latest addition to our kitchen family - a beautiful potted basil. I just had to bring it home when I saw it at Stew's. I've had rosemary and basil before, but unfortunately, they didn't survive under my husband's care. Hopefully, our basil will flourish in the weeks, months and years to come.

Look how lovely our newest addition looks in our sunny kitchen!

Happy VDay and Chinese New Year!

2010-02-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Today is THE day to celebrate the color of red - for love and for luck!

I'm not that superstitious, but there are certain things I do each year to kick off the lunar new year to a good start. Some of them may sound strange, but tradition is tradition:

Don't wash your hair today
Don't cut your nails or hair today
Wear new pajamas to bed

Basically, the new year comes with good luck, and you don't want to get rid of it by washing or cutting it off. And of course you want to start fresh by wearing new pj's. Let's kick off the year of the Tiger right!

As for VDay, my husband and I aren't that into it, partly because it's a "greeting card day." But I'd make a special breakfast to set a romantic tone for the day, like:

Happy Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year!!!

Breakfast Smoothie

2010-02-12T09:00:00.003-05:00

I had a lot of yogurt left over from baking Martha Stewart's Spiced Carrot Cake, so I turned to her trusty recipe vault and found a Superfood Smoothie that would put to good use the blueberries, oranges and yogurt I had in my refrigerator.

I'm not afraid of fat (hence my love for ice cream and potato chips - it all comes down to moderation), so of course I used full-fat yogurt. It was a delicious and healthy recipe, and was a very satisfying meal. I'd make it again any time.

Ways to Use Carrots

2010-02-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of carrots and was trying of ways to use them. I had used them in savory dishes - my turkey spring rolls, carrot soup and Vietnamese spring rolls, but I still have about 3 pounds left. So I turned to the trusty Martha Stewart recipe vault and found a sweet application for the carrots - Spiced Carrot Cake, which I made in mini bread pans.

The recipe wasn't bad, but it didn't have the combination of spices I had imagined - it called for only one spice: either cardamom or cinnamon. Personally, I would use both spices and add nutmeg, or just use all-spice. On the plus side, the cake was moist with the help of yogurt and oil. That said, I don't see myself returning to the Spiced Carrot Cake recipe again.

Sell Out!

2010-02-08T09:00:00.003-05:00

I thought Tony Bourdain was a straight forward, no nonsense kind of guy, a man of integrity and pride. So I thought his show (one of my favs, by the way) was independent - no product placements, no features on restaurants paid by management. I was wrong.

Last week, while I was watching the Prague episode with my husband, a scene showed Bourdain paying for a delicious meal with a card. My husband and I both had the same thought and immediately turned to each other. What was it, what was wrong? It was a close up shot of a Chase Sapphire card! Not so subtle huh. Then a commercial followed, and what commercial was it? Take a wild guess.

Did you spot it too?

Making Ground Pork

2010-02-06T09:00:00.002-05:00

I have trust issues, especially when it comes to ground meat. It is somewhat of a mystery to me what they put into meat that's been processed. What part of the pig or cow did they use? Did they add anything extra? Who knows?! So I decided to grind my own meat. That way, I know what went into my meat, and I can control the amount of fat that goes into the ground meat.

Since I've been dabbling into pork, I decided to make ground pork. I put my trusty KitchenAid to the challenge with the help of the food grinder attachment. It wasn't an easy or a clean task, but I thought it was well worth it for a peace of mind.

I got some pork shoulder and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes after I cut it into cubes. Briefly freezing the meat makes the grinding process a bit easier - the meat is more firm and less sticky. I started off the first pass with a coarse grind, and wanted to follow with a second pass with the fine grind. The coarse grinding was much easier than the fine grinding, which took a lot more time, so I decided to just do half of the meat in the fine texture. I then mixed the two evenly to make sure I had equal distribution throughout, and it came out well in the end. Instead of making the usual delicious Turkey Dumplings, I made Pork Dumplings with the ground meat!

The (no brainer) Pork Bun Debate

2010-02-04T09:00:00.004-05:00

Japanese pork bun enthusiasts swear by those by Momofuku or Ippudo. My preference? Ippudo, hands down.

The Japanese pork buns of these two rivals have delicious pork sandwiched between so-called Peking duck pancakes (I don't agree with the pancake label, but that's another story). What makes Ippudo my pick? Their delicious sauce that makes the pork so moist and succulent. Ippudo's pork bun (Hirata Bun) is a slice of pork belly with lettuce, mayo and a spicy sauce wrapped in a steamed bun. The lettuce adds freshness and a crunchy texture to the soft pork belly. And as if the pork isn't rich enough already, they had to add mayo to seal the deal. While Momofuku's pork bun is good and its slice of pork belly is thicker, it didn't pack as much of a punch as Ippudo's. Ippudo's sauce kicked Momofuku to the backseat - it has a touch of spiciness and is flavorful but not overpowering, and there's just the right amount of sauce to perfectly complement the pork.

If you look at Momofuku's version above, you'll see a rather thick piece of pork that's pretty light on sauce. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but just not as good as Ippudo's. If there is a word I can use to describe what distinguishes Ippudo's pork bun from Momofuku's, it's harmony - it has that melt in your mouth goodness.

The End of the Great Ramen Debate?

2010-02-02T09:00:00.003-05:00

My brother and I have been debating over which Japanese noodle joint in NYC is the best. We have visited both Ramen Setagaya and Ippudo, supposedly the two best picks in the city because they are ramen chains straight from Japan. Surprisingly, we agreed on most of the points, the biggest of which is Ippudo's delicious pork buns (to all the Momofuku proponents out there - David Chang's pork buns aren't THE best, and same for his ramen for that matter). Despite Ippudo's less than perfect ramen, we would be happy to return any time for its pork buns (more on the buns in another post).

Back to the Ippudo vs. Ramen Setagaya debate. Here is my assessment: on the noodle front, Ramen Setagaya wins; on the broth front: Ippudo wins. I've tried both the Akamaru Modern and Shiromaru Hakata Classic at Ippudo (bad photo below from a weak camera I borrowed). The former has a bolder flavor with the use of miso paste while the latter is a classic ramen, but both use the same house-made average at best noodles. I knew their noodles were off at first bite - the exterior was fine, but the interior I thought was rather gummy. It simply didn't have the luscious feel I was expecting from noodles.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed Ippudo's broth, which I thought was less greasy as Ramen Setagaya's. If it weren't for Ippudo's pork buns, I would not frequent Ippudo more than Ramen Setagaya. I do have to say that since making noodles is such a fine art, I would have to vote for Ramen Setagaya as having the best ramen in NYC. I know I'll continue to debate over these two ramen joints with my brother. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

My Belgian Fries Fix

2010-01-31T09:00:00.002-05:00

I love fries, especially Belgian fries. A, because they're thick cut. B, because of the variety of dipping sauces, including my favorite Sundried Tomato Mayo at Pommes Frites in NYC. There's no replacement for Pommes Frites in Stamford, so the next best thing is healthier fries I make at home - oven fries with spicy mayo.

The spicy mayo is actually the same one I use in my sardines sandwich. The spiciness comes from sriracha (thai chili sauce), which also adds a hint of garlic goodness.

My husband liked it on the fries so much that he almost licked the bowl where I served the mayo. If you're worried about fat, feel free to use light mayo - I can't tell the difference between full fat and low fat mayo. But I wouldn't worry about fat when used with healthier fries! Check out the recipes here for oven fries and spicy mayo.

Presentation, Presentation

2010-01-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

I like pretty things that are functional as well. Like this plate I got from Crate & Barrel - it has clean, straight lines, translating into such a modern design. They call it the sushi plate, but I knew I could use it for more than that. Plus, the sale price was right.

When I saw it, I imagined using it for my spring rolls or dumplings like I did here. Last weekend, I used this plate for some homemade Vietnamese summer rolls. Among other things the plate can hold are condiments. The 3 slots built into the plate means I don't have to look for 3 little bowls for dipping - perfect for something spicy, salty and vinegary.

Here, I have sriracha (thai chili sauce), soy & vinegar dipping sauce and (I know this isn't Asian, but I love them) cornichons. In place of cornichons, pickled carrots and turnip would be perfect, and very Chinese. Having such a pretty and functional plate to use felt pretty special, even if it's just lunch.

Coffee Cream Filled Donuts

2010-01-27T09:00:00.003-05:00

We went to Stew Leonard's again and my husband just couldn't walk away from their cider donut holes. So, instead of dipping them into hot chocolate like I did last time with the leftovers, I decided to test out our new KitchenAid Hand Mixer and whip up some coffee flavored cream. I piped the cream into these little babies after warming them in the oven, making it into one delicious and sinful dessert.

It was pretty easy and I got it done within 5 minutes. Here's what I did to make the cream, enough to fill over half of the donut holes:

Coffee Flavored Whipped Cream
1/4C heavy cream
1/4 tsp instant coffee crystals
1 tsp sugar

Beat the cream with the instant coffee in a bowl until the crystals are dissolved. Add the sugar and continue beating until the cream increases in volume and is at a soft peak. Be careful not to over beat the mixture or it will turn into butter.

I'm planning to use any left over cream in hot chocolate. Yum!

Busting Out the KitchenAid Mixer

2010-01-25T09:00:00.003-05:00

After a much needed face lift, my kitchen was finally ready for the KitchenAid Mixer. I busted out this baby to make some Cranberry Orange Scones for breakfast. No more making scones with a dinner knife!

I can't wait to make endless baked good and grind some meat with this dream machine. I would've added making pasta to the list, but my husband didn't want me to get the pasta attachments. :-(

Thank you to my brother-in-law and sister for getting me this wonderful kitchen toy!!!

Inaugural Baking

2010-01-23T09:00:00.002-05:00

Our kitchen is finally ready (aside from the backsplash) for baking! What did I make using our new oven and hand mixer? Madeleines. These are shell-shaped cake-like cookies. I bought some madeleine pans a while ago because of my love for all things French and wanted to finally whip them out.

I found two madeleine recipes from Martha Stewart (of course) that I wanted to try out. The first was pretty easy and tasty. I added zest from half a lemon for freshness and to lighten it up from all that butter. Other than that addition, I followed the rest of the recipe, which called for baking at a high temperature at 375°. The outside of the madeleine was a bit too crunchy for my preference, but the inside of the madeleine had the perfect texture. I'll definitely try baking at a lower temperature next time.

As for the second recipe, Orange Cardamom Madeleine, it was one of the few loser recipes that I've ever come across from Martha Stewart. Compared to the first recipe, the second resulted in a thicker (in height) and denser cookies. I suspect that the ratio of flour to liquid wasn't balanced - it had too much flour. In addition, it called for putting the batter into the fridge, which I thought wasn't needed.

All in all, the first recipe is the winner! If I want to make other flavors, like Orange and Cardamom, I'll just add it to the first recipe like I did with the lemon zest.

My First Piece of CT Mail

2010-01-21T09:00:00.002-05:00

Isn't it so appropriate that the first piece of mail that greets me after I changed my address from NY to CT is my first issue of Food & Wine? That made me very very happy.

Sadly, I have yet to open up the magazine since I've been very busy with the house. My husband got to enjoy it first. Glad to see someone is benefiting from my lack of idle time.

City Limits Diner

2010-01-17T09:00:00.001-05:00

There's a lack of food scene in Stamford, and what I miss most from NYC is enjoying a nice stroll to brunch (especially from Public and Five Points). So, I did some research and came up with City Limits Diner. I can't stroll there, but it's a fine diner. City Limits is not your usual diner; it is part of the Livanos Restaurant Group, which also owns Oceana in NYC.

City Limits' decor is definitely diner-like, but its food is the gourmet type. I've never seen Maryland Lump Crab-Lobster Cake or Grilled Bass Sandwich on a diner's menu, and it made me very excited to see those items. Beside the high end items, City Limits also have the usual diner food, ranging from omelets, pancakes, waffles, burgers, and more.

On my first visit, I had the excellent Maryland Lump Crab-Lobster Cake Benedict. It was tasty and filled with chunks of crab meat. On my second visit, I had a sizable portion of Raisin Currant and Challah French Toast, served with house-made vanilla apple sauce.

The French Toast was good. My mouth was met by a nice delicate crunch on the outside and a moist, rich interior.

On my last visit, I had their Grilled Salmon Burger, served with Tzatziki. I thought the burger was mediocre, but the Tzatziki was flavorful.

If you can't tell by the repeated visits already, City Limits is on my favs list. It is by no means a substitute for Public or Five Points, but it will have to do for now during those times that I don't feel like busting out the pan.

Good to the Last Bone

2010-01-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

I am not a fan of being wasteful, so it shouldn't be a surprise that I made stock using the chicken carcass left over from our roast chicken. Chicken stock recipes are pretty generic - they all call for carrots, onion and celery. I had even added fennel pieces that we did not use from a previous dinner.

This was my first homemade chicken stock ever. Unlike my first roast chicken, I had no mishaps. The two hour-long work was easy and definitely worth it. It practically did not cost me anything to make the stock. Now, I can give Swanson's chicken broth a break until my two quarts of stock are done. Best of all, I can put the stock in the freezer for future use.

First Roast Chicken Attempt

2010-01-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, we visited Stew Leonard's in Norwalk and found some fresh chickens. The whole chicken was so tempting - the color of the chicken looked natural, not the yellow color that you find in mass supermarkets, and the price was right - so I decided to bring it home to attempt my first roast chicken. Sadly, the cooking process did not turn out as I expected, but the chicken was so very tasty.

I followed the cooking method from Julia Child's Roast Chicken recipe. I had a 4lb chicken and cooked it according to directions in a roasting pan, with the exception of using the convection feature in our oven after lowering the temperature to 350°. The chicken had pink juice flowing out of it after I had cooked it for the stated time, which I calculated to be a total of 1 hr 43 min using a traditional oven or 1 hr 25 min using convection (see photo above). I did not open the oven during that time, nor did I flip the chicken.

I had to return the chicken to the oven a few times. The final time I returned it to the oven was because the back side of the chicken was not cooked - so we flipped it even though the recipe did not call for flipping the chicken. The whole process of taking it out, testing and re-baking took an hour and a half. I was ready to give up, but it was well worth it in the end - the chicken was moist and flavorful. The onion, garlic and lemon gave the chicken so much flavor. In an effort to get to the bottom of what went wrong (lack of circulation in oven, cooking time calculation mishap or convection function) and for a chance to devour another tasty roast chicken, I'll definitely try the recipe again, and skip the convection function next time.

Give Me My Food Network Back!

2010-01-11T09:00:00.005-05:00

Cablevision really kicked off our new year to a good start (sarcasm, of course). Literally, when midnight struck on New Years Eve, Food Network and HGTV disappeared from our cable program. Sadly, I have to say goodbye to Ina for now until Cablevision and Scripps Network come to some agreement.

I've be surviving on Travel Channel and Bravo alone...I don't know how long I can hold on.

Ways to Eat Donut Holes

2010-01-09T09:00:00.003-05:00

Since it was New Year's Day, I wanted to do something special to the left over cider donut holes we bought from Stew Leonard's the day before. I thought of filling them with flavored whipped cream or dunking them in hot chocolate. The easiest was making hot chocolate instead of beating heavy cream, so that's what I did.

To begin, I heated up the donut holes in the oven. Then I busted out our Mariebelle Aztec Hot Chocolate that's been dormant all winter, made a nice hot cup and used it to dunk the warm donuts like one would milk and cookies or coffee and biscotti. That was breakfast, by the way. :-)

Stew Leonard's - Trader Joe's on Crack

2010-01-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

My husband and I made a trip to Stew Leonard's in Norwalk, CT for our no cook New Year's Eve meal. We walked out with some olives for the meal, and donuts, fresh chicken and milk for other purposes. It's a giant supermarket and the self proclaimed largest dairy store in the world. If I were to describe it, I'd call it Trader Joe's and Ikea on crack.

Stew Leonard's is similar to Trade Joe's in that they produce their own products, but it goes beyond by making fresh goods on grounds - like the cider donut holes (btw, I was sad to find that they used food coloring in these). Their value is apparent especially when it comes to milk - we bought a half gallon carton for way less than $2! And why did I throw in Ikea? Because it's like a maze in there - you can't get to one section without passing another - there are no aisles. And did I mention the samples? On one visit alone, I "sampled" two donut holes!

Don't worry, we didn't finish the donut holes in one sitting. Stay tuned for what we did the next day to these babies.

The No Cook New Year's Eve Meal

2010-01-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

I've been extremely distracted with our house, but I'm back in the new year with a food post! My husband and I decided to take it easy this New Year's Eve, so we took a trip to Whole Foods in Westport, CT and stores nearby to get some ideas. Note to Whole Foods - you need a store in Stamford! As I've mentioned before, supermarket choices are rather limited in this area.

We ended up with a whole bunch of no cook, finger licking food (no flatware involved). On the New Year's Eve menu were some cooked dungeness crabs that we scored for $5.99/lb (regularly $9.99/lb) and a plate full of prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe, olives, and cheese. Since it was a festive occasion, we splurged on truffle cheese.

We can't afford to buy truffles, so the next best option is cheese laced with little precious specks of truffles. Just look at this tiny piece of heaven!.

We washed down this easy, no cook meal with a bottle of champagne. After such a hectic past couple of months, this low key night was special and perfect.

Easy Clam Chowder

2009-12-28T15:30:00.006-05:00

My sister recruited me to be her chef at her feast on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). We brainstormed a huge menu that included dips, spring rolls, soup, salad, meat and pasta. The spring rolls sold like hot cakes. I had not cooked for months, so it was nice to know that I still have the mojo. To step up ordinary soup up a notch for the festive occasion, we opted to make clam chowder. I had not made this before, so of course I went to the trusty Martha Stewart website to find a recipe. Leave it to the domestic queen and Everyday Food to create an easy Clam Chowder recipe that was a crowd pleaser at the party.

The recipe was not only easy, but also fresh. I liked it that it didn't call for making a roux to thicken up the soup, which I am a huge fan of - I like thickening soup using potatoes. The freshness in the recipe comes from the fresh clams. Not only did we use that, we also added extra clam meat from my sister's cans in the pantry to make the chowder as clamy as it can be. W e also substituted the water in the recipe with clam juice. The result was rather tasty, and the little bit of soup left over was even more tasty. After having the fresh clam chowder, my husband will likely put an end to having the ones from Campbell's Chunky Soup.