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Appetizers

Appetizers, Dinner, Korean, Lactose Free, Recipes, Sauces, Tofu, Vegan, Vegetarian

Warm Tofu with Spicy Sauce

September 4, 2020

Warm Tofu with Spicy Dipping Sauce

I am a confirmed lover of tofu whether it’s baked, pan-fried, in miso soup, or simply served with grated ginger, slivered green onions and soy sauce.  I came across this recipe on Alexandra’s Kitchen blog recently.  The original recipe came from Ruth Reichl who was the Editor in Chief of the now defunct and beloved Gourmet magazine. It struck all the right notes: fast, savory and tasty.

Firm Tofu

Firm tofu is the best option for this recipe as it keeps its shape when sliced.

Gochugaru, Green Onions, Spicy Sauce

If you don’t have any gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) I suggest that you buy some right away.  With its gentle heat and smoky, fruity flavor, it’s the chili that I use most often.  I use gochugaru for Korean pan-fried steak, and in a dipping sauce for Korean pancakes and dumplings, as well as in kimchi.

Warm Tofu with Spicy Dipping Sauce

Serve the tofu with crispy cucumber slices, kimchi and Japanese rice.

Warm Tofu with Spicy Dipping Sauce

Warm Tofu with Spicy Sauce
 
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Adapted from Alexandra's Kitchen blog & Gourmet Magazine
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu
  • 1½ tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)
  • 1½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil (Kadoya recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
  • 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds (white or a mix of white and black)
  • ¼ - ½ teaspoon finely grated garlic
  • 3 tablespoons finely sliced green onions
Preparation
  1. Rinse the tofu, then cover with cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn heat down to keep warm.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauces and sugar. Mix until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the sesame oil, gochugaru, sesame seeds, garlic, and green onions. Set aside.
  3. Carefully drain water from pot and remove tofu to a paper towel-lined plate. Pat tofu dry. Transfer tofu to a shallow bowl and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Serve with Japanese rice and extra sauce on the side.

 

Appetizers, Canning, Jams & Jellies, Lactose Free, Recipes

Maui Jalapeno Pepper Jam

June 27, 2020

Maui Jalapeno Jam

Every year we grow hot peppers, jalapeños and fresnos.  Occasionally we have a particularly large crop, and after putting up our usual jars of pickled nacho rings, jalapeño hot sauce and Maui cowboy candy, we still have peppers left over. After a little research, John discovered a jalapeño jam recipe on the Serious Eats website.  He tweaked it a bit and this terrific, sweet, spicy jam is the result.

Mucho Nacho Jalapeños

These particular jalapeños are a hybrid known as Mucho Nacho.  They are particularly hot!

Seeded Mucho Nacho Jalapeños with and without Ribs & Pith

Prepare the peppers by cutting off the stems, slicing them lengthwise and removing the seeds with your fingers (disposable gloves are essential).  Contrary to popular myth, the seeds do not contain capsaician.  If you want a milder jam, remove the pith and ribs from the interior of the pepper as seen above.

Mucho Nacho Jalapeños Finely Chopped

Once the stems and seeds are removed, place the peppers in a bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until the peppers are finely chopped.

Maui Jalapeno Jam

Late in the season your peppers may start ripening to red.  You can use them to make a beautiful red version of the jam.  Do not mix the two colors of peppers or you will end up with brown jam!Maui Jalapeno Jam

Maui Jalapeno Pepper Jam
 
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Adapted from Serious Eats
Author:
Serves: 7 Jars
Ingredients
  • 28-30 medium-sized jalapeños (28 ounces after removing stems and seeds)
  • 1¼ cups cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
  • 6 tablespoons dry pectin (we use Ball brand Real Fruit Classic Pectin)
  • 6 cups granulated sugar
Preparation
  1. Special equipment: Food processor, boiling water canning equipment, (7) 8 ounce canning jars with rings and 2-piece lids.
  2. Wash jars, place in water filled canner. Bring water to a simmer.
  3. Wash peppers and remove stems. Slice in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with your fingers (gloves are essential). Place the peppers in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer peppers to a deep saucepan. Stir in the cider vinegar, lime juice, salt and pectin. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the sugar and return to a rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the saucepan from heat.
  4. Remove jars from canner and ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving ¼-inch headspace. Secure lids and rings just to finger tight. Cover and process jars in boiling hot water bath for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, leave jars in hot water for additional 5 minutes. Remove jars and let cool for 24 hours. Serve on crackers with cream cheese, use as a spicy barbecue glaze, or a spicy PBJ.

 

 

 

 

Appetizers, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Mustard & Mayonnaise Glazed Asparagus

June 14, 2020

Mustard & Mayonnaise Glazed Asparagus

Asparagus is one of the most versatile vegetables around.  Endless preparations come to mind: steamed and served with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, stir-fried and seasoned with sesame oil and soy sauce, and crispy panko coated tempura.  Now that summer is here, grilling is the obvious choice for many reasons.  The weather is gorgeous, your kitchen stays cool without the stove or oven in use, and you can make this for two people, or for a group.  The marinade for this recipe is truly delicious, and this has become my favorite way to serve asparagus.

Fresh Asparagus Spears

Thick asparagus spears fare better than the pencil thin type when grilling. They hold their shape and texture without becoming droopy and soggy. To peel or not to peel the stems.  It’s up to you.  With thick asparagus I always peel a thin layer off the lower part of the stems.  The spears look beautiful and they are guaranteed to be tender and are never stringy.

Fresh Peeled Asparagus Spears

This recipe comes from Nate Appelman of San Francisco’s popular A16 and SPQR restaurants.  The marinade is a combination of mayonnaise, grainy mustard, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic and salt and pepper.  It coats the asparagus beautifully and any extra marinade can be slathered on the grilled asparagus before serving if you wish.

Asparagus with Marinade

Mustard & Mayonnaise Glazed Asparagus

Mustard & Mayonnaise Glazed Asparagus
 
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Adapted from Nate Appleman's recipe
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1½ tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1½ tablespoons grainy mustard
  • 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 medium garlic clove, crushed
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ pound thick asparagus, trimmed
Preparation
  1. Whisk the mayonnaise with the mustard, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest. garlic, salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the asparagus (use a large plate) and turn to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your grill to medium-high (we use a gas grill which takes 15 minutes to heat up). Grill the asparagus, turning occasionally, until the spears are tender and lightly blistered in spots, about 6 minutes.Serve the asparagus hot or at room temperature.

 

 

 

Appetizers, Eggs, French, Lactose Free, Recipes, Side Dishes

Eggs Cornichon

April 30, 2020

Eggs Cornichon

Oeufs Mayonnaise is a classic French dish served as an appetizer in many Parisian bistros.  This version with fresh dill and tart, crisp cornichons, is an elevated version of the classic recipe. It is a breeze to put together and the result is the tastiest hors d’oeuvre you can imagine.

Fresh Dill, Lemon, Cornichons

The mayonnaise mixture couldn’t be easier to whip together.  Fresh dill and crisp cornichons are essential for the sauce.

Mayonnaise Dill Sauce

You will have a bit of dill mayonnaise leftover that you can serve alongside the eggs.

Eggs Cornichon

Accompanied by a slice or two of rustic bread or buttered toast, the eggs cornichon will also make a satisfying light lunch.

Eggs Cornichon

I love these tasty eggs and could easily eat them every day.

Eggs Cornichon
 
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Adapted from Fine Cooking
Author:
Serves: 12 pieces
Ingredients
  • 6 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 2½ teaspoons cornichon brine
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, more for garnish
  • zest of half a small lemon
  • fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ tablespoons cornichons, chopped and whole cornichons (optional) for serving with eggs
Preparation
  1. Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice water. Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water, and cook at a gentle boil, adjusting the heat as necessary. Cook for 10 minutes. Immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath. Cool for 5 minutes. Peel the eggs and halve lengthwise.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, cornichon brine, dill and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix until well blended.
  3. Place the halved eggs on a small serving plate. Sprinkle a bit of salt over the eggs. Dollop the eggs with the mayonnaise mixture, and top each with chopped cornichons, a few grinds of pepper, and more dill. Serve with whole cornichons and extra mayonnaise on the side.

 

Appetizers, Beef, Dinner, Korean, Lactose Free, Recipes, Sandwiches

Korean Buns

March 12, 2020


Korean Buns

I posted a recipe for Korean hamburger patties back in 2012. This is one of my favorite recipes and I make it on a regular basis.  This post is a description of how my mom originally made the dish using the ground meat mixture on hot dog buns.  I always requested these Korean buns when my girlfriends came over for a slumber party (back in the day).  These are so easy to make and very tasty.

Korean Buns Ingredients

You can make the meat mixture earlier in the day and store it in your refrigerator until you are ready to prepare the buns.  The few ingredients for this recipe all have that umami flavor that makes this simple meal so good.

Korean Buns Meat Mixture

Hot Dog Buns

I used 5 hotdog buns that I split, making 10 Korean buns.  The meat mixture is spread thinly over each bun and broiled quickly.  I used the remainder of the meat for slider patties for another meal.  If you are making the buns for a crowd you can use 10-12 buns instead of 5.

Korean Buns

Serve the buns with a crispy salad and you’re all set.  If you want a little kick, drizzle a bit of sriracha on each bun.

Korean Buns

Korean Buns
 
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Author:
Serves: 10 split buns
Ingredients
  • 5 hot dog buns, split (depending on how many people you are serving, use up to 12 buns making 24 split buns)
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (I use ground sirloin)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
  • 1 medium clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)
  • 1 heaping teaspoon sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • To garnish: Roasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions
Preparation
  1. Place oven rack on the second position from the top, about 6 inches away from the element. Preheat broiler on high. Line a large sheet pan (jelly roll pan works great) with foil for easy clean up.
  2. In a large bowl, gently break up the ground beef with two forks or your fingertips. Add onion, green onion, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and egg. Mix gently to combine ingredients.
  3. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture on each split bun, covering as much of the edge of each bun as possible.
  4. Place pan under the broiler and broil for a few minutes until the meat is cooked and the buns are nicely browned on the edges. The buns are best served right away but leftovers can be reheated in a toaster oven.

 

Appetizers, Beans, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Creamy Fresh Herb Hummus

November 24, 2019

Creamy Fresh Herb Hummus

Homemade hummus is the best.  It is so easy to prepare and the end product is certainly worth the 30 minutes you spend making it. All the ingredients except for the herbs and pistachios go into the food processor.  Blitz away until the mixture is as smooth as you want it to be.  We enjoy eating hummus with homemade pita chips and falafel.  Hummus keeps well in the refrigerator and makes a great snack for home or work.

Chickpeas with Skins Removed

This time around I decided to remove the skins from the chickpeas. It took me about 9 minutes to pinch off the skins from a can of beans.  I didn’t mind the extra step since I enjoy spending time in the kitchen.  Of course this is optional, but I found the hummus to be magnificently smooth.  I came upon a curious recipe from the Minimalist Baker blog.  The undrained chickpeas and garlic cloves are heated in the microwave for a few minutes making the chickpeas very smooth and creamy when blended together with the other ingredients.  The garlic mellows a bit which makes for a well-balanced hummus.

Chickpeas & Garlic

When you microwave the chickpeas use a large bowl since the chickpea liquid tends to expand. I cover the bowl with plastic wrap leaving a small vent for air to escape.  Once the chickpeas come out of the microwave I drain them, saving just a few tablespoons of the liquid for later.  Then everything goes into the food processor until smooth and creamy.  Place the warm hummus in a container and refrigerate until cool.  Transfer the cooled hummus to a serving plate, add your favorite fresh herbs, pistachios, and a swirl of olive oil.  Dust with cayenne pepper and serve with pita chips.

It’s really a chore to stir tahini in the container or jar that it comes in.  The bottom of the container usually has solid pieces of tahini that are hard to get at.  These days I just pour the entire container into a bowl and whisk away until the tahini is mixed to perfection.  The thought of having to clean another bowl might discourage you but you will save a lot of frustration. It only takes a minute to wash the bowl!

Creamy Fresh Herb Hummus

Creamy Fresh Herb Hummus
 
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Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 ounce) chickpeas, drained with liquid reserved, skins removed (optional)
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled
  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon well stirred tahini
  • 2½ - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons cold water
  • 1-2 tablespoons reserved chickpea liquid
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (optional) + more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for serving
  • handful of fresh herbs
  • pistachios, salted and shelled
Preparation
  1. Drain and reserve the liquid from the chickpeas. Pinch off the skins from the chickpeas
  2. Transfer chickpeas, reserved liquid and 3 garlic cloves to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap leaving a small vent for the air to escape. Microwave for 3½ - 4 minutes.
  3. Drain chickpeas, reserving 2 tablespoons of liquid. Transfer chickpeas to a food processor along with the garlic cloves, tahini, lemon juice, salt, 2 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon chickpea liquid, cumin, cayenne and olive oil. Process until mixture is smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. If the hummus is too thick, add water or chickpea liquid until it is the texture you prefer. Keep in mind the hummus will thicken a bit once refrigerated. Transfer mixture to a container and refrigerate until chilled.
  4. When ready to serve, spoon hummus onto a serving plate. Place fresh herbs in the center and top with pistachios. Drizzle olive oil over hummus and sprinkle a bit of cayenne over the top. Serve with pita chips.

 

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