Category: Cooking

Since returning from Peru, the Missus has been a bit obsessed with Quinoa. To the extent that we’ve been making Sopa de Quinoa(Quinoa soup) or Lamb and Quinoa Soup almost every week for the last 2 1/2 months! In fact, during that period we’ve been noticing that the price of quinoa has slowly risen; from 89 cents a pound….to $2.19 a pound. I believe that the Missus is the cause of this increase, her incessant demand has caused world-wide supplies to dwindle, a one woman quinoa consumption machine!

A few days ago, the Missus asked me to make something different. I recalled a quinoa salad we had about 5-6 years ago….yes it is true, I can never remember where I parked my car….but ask me about a quinoa salad I had half a decade ago, and I’m "money".

This was very easy, but there a few items of note; I used less water than usual for quinoa,  the normal ratio is about 2 to 1, but because I wanted my quinoa to be "dry", I lowered the ratio. Also, when I tasted the "salad", I thought that I needed something with a bit of sweetness to balance out the flavors. Rather than adding sugar, I sliced some jicama that I had on hand which were used as "chips" to scoop up the salad. Also, the Missus wanted some seafood, so I sauteed some shrimp I had, and used that as a topping.

You might find this surprising, but quinoa is quite calorie-dense at 693 calories per cup. Quinoa is also a good source of complete protein 24 grams per cup, and carbs at 109 grams per cup. You can see why quinoa is sometimes called a "super food". What I find most interesting is how quinoa looks when cooked:

As is duly noted in What we’re eating.

Quinoa Salad

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 cucumber, diced
1 small red onion, diced 
3 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
1 bunch radishes diced
4 Tb cilantro chopped
mint leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic finely minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
juice from 1 lemon
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
Slices of Jicama
Arugula

1 – Combine rinsed quinoa and water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Stir once, lower to a simmer and cover for 8-12 minutes.
2 – When quinoa is cooked remove to a strainer or colander, "fluff and mix" to remove all moisture. Let cool.
3 – When the quinoa has cooled and is "dry", transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl and add cucumber, onion, tomato, radish, and cilantro. Mix well.
4 – Add olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt, garlic and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5 – Chill for at least 20 minutes
6 – Top with a chiffonade of mint, and serve on a bed of arugula, with slices of Jicama.

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving. The Missus has been quite busy the last few weeks, so we decided to forgo the usual feast……

So this year we had Chinese food which brought back a funny memory……a few years back, we were in Seattle over the Thanksgiving weekend. It was Thanksgiving day, and I was wondering where we’d be able to grab a bite.

Me: "I’m wondering what’s open…"

The Missus: "Chinese restaurants always open on Thanksgiving."

Me: "Why"

The Missus: "Because, wehavenothingtobethankfulfor…..he-he-he…"(She was joking….I think)

And of course we headed off to the International District, and had a nice meal in one of the Chinese restaurants in the area.

Anyway, here’s something I made this past week. It’s really easy, the whole meal can be whipped up in 45 minutes or so. Please excuse the photos, it gets dark pretty early nowadays, and the lighting in our kitchen is dreadful.

RACK OF LAMB WITH CILANTRO-SCALLION CRUST
1 Tb Canola Oil
2 Tb Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
3-4 Tb thinly sliced Scallion
3-4 Tb minced Cilantro
1/2 Cup panko
1 Rack of lamb (7 or 8 ribs) – I Frenched the rack, and trimmed much of the fat cap off – saved the fat, and used it for the brussel sprouts.
Salt
Pepper
2 Tb Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup Dijon mustard
2 Tb Soy sauce

1 – In a heat olive oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the red pepper flakes,  stirring for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 20-30 seconds. Add the scallion and the cilantro and cook the mixture, stirring, for 10 seconds. Stir in the panko, salt, and pepper. Remove the skillet from heat.
2 – Mix the mayonnaise, soy sauce and mustard in a small bowl, set aside.
3 – Season the lamb with Salt and Pepper
4 – Heat an ovenproof skillet over high heat until it is hot and brown the lamb. Turning it occasionally until the sides and the ends are browned evenly.

5 – Pour off any fat from the skillet, arrange the lamb, fat and meat side up, and brush with the mayonnaise/mustard mixture.
6 – Apply panko mixture evenly on the fat and meat on the mayo/mustard mixture.
7 – Bake the lamb in a preheated 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 130 degrees for medium-rare meat.
8 – Transfer the lamb to a platter, let it stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before slicing.

It was a nice little meal…..Rack of Lamb with a Cilantro-Scallion Crust, Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, and Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Garlic, sauteed in Lamb Fat.

Here’s a photo… The Missus wanted some Karei Karaage, so I made the most of the frying opportunity.

Most everyone I’ve made this for haven’t been able to figure it out. My Mom used to make it for me every once in a while, maybe as way of getting me to eat more greens??

It’s watercress!

And though I still love fresh watercress with the mayo-soy dip, deep frying watercress really brings the sweetness out of it. You’ll be surprised at the flavor. And as with all of my cooking it’s really simple and easy…..

Watercress Tempura

1 Egg
One half cup cornstarch
One half cup flour
Salt
1 bunch Watercress
Ice Water

1 – Beat egg and pour into a measuring cup. Add ice water so that the total liquid measures 3/4 cup. But liquid in frig or freezer(the colder, the more lacy and crisp the tempura)

2 – Combine cornstarch, flour, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Fold liquid into flour mixture, mix until the consistency of pancake batter, a few lumps do not matter, do not over mix. Chill batter in refrigerator until ready to use.

3 – Wash watercress and dry. When ready to use, chop watercress into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces and  mix into batter until completely mixed.

4- Heat oil to 350 degrees.

5 – Form watercress into little balls and place into oil and fry.

6 – Remove from oil and drain. Lightly salt if desired. Serve with Tetsuyu(Tempura Dipping Sauce)

Remember to make the most of the frying opportunity!!!

Well it sure has cooled down a bit here in San Diego…….so nice we decided to do some grilling. Well make that the Missus decided I needed to do some grilling. And wanted, "something different, and good for a change….."

This is what I came up with:

I went for sort of a South American theme, Quinoa Pilaf, with grilled (cheapo) Lamb Loin Chops with  Chimichurri and Salza Criolla, and grilled tomato. It came out much better than I thought it would, the Salsa Criolla, tasted exactly like the versions I’ve had in restaurants, and the Missus loved the Chimichurri as well.

Chimichurri

From what I understand, this popular South American sauce and marinade originated in Argentina, and in its most basic form consists of only 4 ingredients, parsley, garlic, olive oil, and salt, though you’ll find that no two recipes are alike. The version here is the base version with some adjustments adding ingredients we enjoy; garlic, onion, cilantro, and other stuff. As with most everything I cook, it is quite easy to make. Don’t be afraid of the amount of garlic…..really!

Chimichurri

1 Bunch Flat Leaf(Italian Parsley)
1 Bunch Cilantro
1 Bulb Garlic(yes, a whole bulb)
1-3 Jalapeno Peppers
1 Small Sweet Onion
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup White Wine Vinegar
2 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tb Brown Sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste.

Combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion, and jalapeno in a food  processor, pulsing to chop fine.

Add oregano, brown sugar, and vinegar, and with processor going, add olive oil.

Taste and add salt and pepper.

Refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to meld. You can use as a sauce or marinade.

Peruvian Sarza(Salsa) Criolla

This is a wonderfully salty and tart onion salad, that the Missus loves. I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to make it, and it turned out to be very easy. As a base, I used the recipe from Copeland Marks  cookbook, The Exotic Kitchens of Peru, and added an additional step(salt and rinse), and changed some of the amounts. One of the items that really makes this recipe tick, is the Aji Amarillo. Aji Amarillo, which means, "yellow chile pepper", is actually orange in color when ripe. It is the most used pepper in Peruvian cooking. The version that I obtained was previously par-boiled, and frozen, but still had a nice amount of heat….I guess if I was a better writer I’d call it "piquant"…….

Salsa Criolla

1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
2 Tsp Aji Amarillo, seeded, and deveined, chopped
1/4 Cup fresh squeezed lime juice(or to taste)
2 Tb Chopped Cilantro leaves
Salt to taste

Add 1/2 tsp Salt to red onion slices and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Rinse onion and drain well.

Mix all ingredients. We enjoy our Salza Criolla nice and cold, so we refrigerate for a few minutes before serving.

So easy, huh?

Jamillah Garden closes

Last weekend we were driving up Convoy, and noticed that newspapers were taped over the windows at Jamillah Garden.

I drove into the parking lot and walked into the restaurant where tables were being disassembled. I asked the Young Man if Jamillah Garden was being renovated, or were they closing. His answer? "We are permanently closed." Too bad…..the food was somewhat inconsistent, but Jamillah Garden was the only Muslim Chinese Restaurant in San Diego.

Previous posts on Jamillah Garden here and here.

We decided to just hang around the house this weekend, I’m a bit tired, and it is just too hot…… We didn’t even feel like going to the market, so we decided to just eat what we had in the frig and lying around a la Charsiubao. Problem was, we didn’t have much………just some leftovers, and 1 lonely potato. So what to do with a potato?

I decided to make Sichuan Stir Fried Potato Strings. If you’re not familiar with this dish, it may seem a bit odd……potatoes and Chinese cuisine would seem to be a bit of  a leap. I thought so myself when I first saw this on a menu several years back. It was on the menu in a Shenyang restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley. I ordered it, and the Missus thought I was nuts. She told me, "you know this is just poor people home style food, right?" Being the carb lover, I enjoyed the texture of crunchy stir fried potatoes and the flavor of the sour vinegar and spicy chilies. After that I started noticing the dish on the menu off most Sichuan restaurants in the area. In Sichuan restaurants, the potatoes are served and eaten as a stir fried vegetable….in other words, it is consumed with rice! You gotta love that!

So here’s the version I made tonight. I used Chinkiang Vinegar because I enjoy the flavor, but if you want the potatoes to be a bit more attractive you can use white vinegar. The taste will be a bit different. Also, many Sichuan restaurants will not use vinegar, but the Missus, being from Sandong, loves vinegar.

I love the numbing heat provided by the Sichuan Peppercorn, most restaurants will use whole peppercorn, but I enjoy using peppercorns that I’ve roasted and ground….it provides a nice numbing effect. Think of the dish as being a ma-la(numbing hot) version of Salt and Vinegar Shoestring Potatoes. As always, it is a pretty easy dish……I really don’t make anything too difficult.

Sichuan Stir Fried Potato Strings (qiang tu dou si)
1 Potato
3-6 Dried Red Chilies
1 tsp Sichuan Pepper (whole or roasted and ground)
1/2- 1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Black Vinegar (Use white vinegar if you want a whiter color)
1 tsp Sesame Oil (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking

Peel potatoes and slice into "matchsticks", soak in lightly salted cold water(this will prevent the  potato from turning brown as well as remove excess starch)

Heat wok over medium heat, drain potatoes well.

Add 2-3 Tb Oil to wok, and swirl around, add red chilies and if using whole Sichuan peppercorns add it as well.

Once you can smell the fragrance of the Sichuan peppercorns and chilies, add the potatoes.

Stir fry the potatoes for 3-4 minutes then add the sugar and vinegar.

When the potatoes are cooked and al dente in texture, taste and add salt if necessary, remove from heat and add sesame oil if desired.

A quick pickle:

I also had 3 large cucumbers, so I decided to do a really quick pickle.

3-4 Cucumbers
1 Tb Salt
1 Tb Sugar
3/4 Cup White vinegar
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
4-6 Dried Red Chilies
1-2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
Sichuan Pepper salt

Peel cucumbers, and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds using a spoon, and slice in thin "half-moons".

Place cucumber slices in a bowl, add salt and sugar, mix, and let stand for about 1 hour.

Combine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, a dried red chilies is a small pot, and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let cool.

Once liquid is cooled, drain slices of cucumber well, and add to liquid. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Serve with Sichuan Pepper-Salt. This pickle is best eaten the same day.

Sichuan Pepper-Salt:

In a dry pan, combine 1 Tb of Sichuan Peppercorns with 3 Tb Sea/Kosher Salt.(Think a 3 to one ratio)
Roast salt-peppercorn mixture over low flame until fragrant. I always know that my Sichuan Peppercorn are ready when they start to "pop".
Remove immediately from heat, and grind.

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. We’ll be back with more restaurant posts tomorrow!

Whew….has it been hot enough for you in SoCal??? Talk about stewing in your own juices. It’s almost too hot to eat…almost……

Here’s a recipe for Thai Style Larb, that I’ve been making for about 8 or 9 years. I first saw it in a Food Magazine, I don’t remember which publication it was. I do remember that the recipe was provided by Bo Kline who Co-Owns, along with her husband, the Typhoon chain of Thai Restaurants in the Pacific Northwest. I also recall being quite excited when we found out that Typhoon had opened in Seattle. We couldn’t wait to try out the Chicken Larb. Unfortunately, we found the larb at Typhoon in Seattle to be under-flavored, dry, and severely lacking herbs, which is what makes this recipe tick. What a disappointment…..

We have found that using dark meat chicken(i.e. boneless-skinless thighs) makes for a more moist Larb. The Missus often eats this with rice, along with some Papaya Salad on the side.

Thai Style Chicken Larb

1/2 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
1/3-1/2 Cup Fish Sauce
1 Tb Palm Sugar

1/3 Cup Chicken Stock
1 1/2 Pounds Ground/Minced Dark Meat Chicken(We grind/mine our own)
1 Cup Thinly Sliced Green Onions
1/2 Cup Thinly Sliced Shallots
2-3 Tb Finely Minced Lemongrass
2-4 Thinly Sliced Thai Bird Chilies
1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro Leaves
1/4 Cup Chopped Mint Leaves
Chili Paste
Salt if necessary.

Green Leaf, Boston, or Romain Lettuce leaves.

Whisk Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, and Lime Juice in a bowl until sugar is dissolved.

In a heavy skillet or wok, bring chicken stock to a simmer over medium heat.
Add lemongrass and simmer for about 1 minute.
Add chicken, breaking up the meat with a spoon and simmer until chicken is cooked, and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8-10 minutes.
Add green onions, shallots, and chilies, and mix together until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Add sauce and mix, until all items are incorporated.
Remove from heat and add Cilantro and Mint, and stir.
Taste and add Chili paste and salt if necessary.