My Hometown Restaurant: Odeng Bokkeum (Korean Spicy Fish Cake)

This may be my favorite Korean dish.  Seriously.  It's like the perfection of the cuisine.  Spicy. Salty. Sweet. Umami.  I could eat this with just a bowl of rice. And this is supposedly a side dish.  Not anymore.

Odeng Bokkeum (Korean Spicy Fish Cake)
Adapted from My Hometown Restaurant, Ft. Hood, TX

3 pieces fried fish cake (approximately 3x6-inches each)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon Accent powder (MSG) (optional)
1 teaspoon red pepper powder (gochugaru)
3 green onions, sliced thinly on the bias
1 serrano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Sesame seeds, for garnish

Cut the fish cakes into thin strips.  Heat the sesame oil and garlic in a frying pan or wok.  Add the fish cake strips and fry for 2 to 3 minutes before sprinkling with the sugar, Accent powder, and red pepper powder.  Add the green onions, serrano pepper, and soy sauce; sauté for 2 more minutes.  Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, if desired.  Serve warm or cold.

Makes 4 servings

Southern Living: Peach Streusel Muffins

Summer makes me happy.  Mostly because it's warm, and I always seem to be cold.  But also because there's all sorts of luscious produce to be had.  You can go to the grocery store and just smell the ripe perfection emanating from the produce section.  So I try to buy up this summer bounty and make it into delicious things.  Only problem with this little story is that the chances of finding a ripe peach, even in the middle of summer, is about the same as your chances of finding Eldorado.  So frozen it is.  Still tastes like summer.

Peach Streusel Muffins
From Southern Living magazine, July 2003

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1½ cups fresh or frozen peeled peaches, chopped
Streusel Topping

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a muffin pan with 12 liners.

Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the egg; beating until blended.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and fold in the chopped peaches.

Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared pan, filling each liner ⅔ full. Sprinkle the Streusel Topping over the muffin batter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks.

Make 12 muffins

Streusel Topping
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2½ tablespoons chilled unsalted butter

Combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon; cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles crumbs.

China, The Beautiful Cookbook: Stewed Chicken, Li Kou Fu Style

So I'm poking around in a Chinese cookbook, wishing that a Chinese recipe would actually turn out to taste like something other than a poor attempt at authenticity.  And I come across this recipe for a stewed chicken.  Easy enough.  No wok necessary.  And you know what?  This recipe turns out the most delicately flavored chicken I may have ever had.  No overpowering rose flavor.  Not super salty.  Just really delicious in a court-of-the-Chinese-emperor kind of way.

Stewed Chicken, Li Kou Fu Style
From China, The Beautiful Cookbook by Kevin Sinclair

1 (1½-pound) Cornish hen
4 green onions
Cilantro (garnish)

Seasoning:
⅔ cup dark mushroom soy sauce
⅓ cup Mei Kuei Lu (rose-scented Chinese rice wine)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Pinch of salt

Rinse the chicken and wipe dry. Place the green onions in the cavity and put into a deep, small casserole. Mix the seasoning ingredients together. Pour a little into the cavity, then pour the remainder over the chicken.

Cover the pot tightly and place in a water bath to prevent the chicken from coming into direct contact with the heat and burning. Simmer the chicken very gently until tender, about 1¼ hours, turning once or twice.

Lift out the chicken, cut into serving pieces and arrange on a plate. Pour the sauce over and garnish with cilantro.

Makes 2 servings

Best Recipes: Caramel Slices

I came across some pictures of Australia, and it reminded me of the time I spent in the country with my friend from high school. I especially remembered a dessert called caramel slices that I had for the first time on that trip. I was so addicted, my friend and I would search out bakeries that sold them just so I could stuff my face again. We also gorged ourselves on meat pies and "chips".  Boy, was that a trip.

Caramel Slices
From bestrecipes.com

Crust:
¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup self-rising flour
½ cup castor sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
Pinch sea salt

Topping:
5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1½ tablespoons shortening

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a glass 11x7-inch pan with cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Press parchment paper into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Combine coconut, flour, castor sugar, and melted butter. Press dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 or until golden brown.

While dough is cooking, combine sweetened condensed milk, butter, golden syrup, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until the mixture begins to boil. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook for five more minutes, stirring constantly. When dough is done, pour caramel layer over top and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Place chocolate and shortening in a saucepan and heat over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour over caramel layer and smooth out. Allow chocolate layer to set completely before slicing into squares.

Tyler Florence: Rosemary Lamb Chops and Trembom: Drunken Potatoes

I can't believe that I basically never had lamb until I was an adult.  How do these things happen?  I mean, I had HEARD of lamb with things like mint sauce, but I hadn't actually experienced them.  My time in Australia definitely changed that for me.  The lamb from that country is amazing, and I still have cravings long after my return.  I'm still trying to convince my family, but this meal is going a long ways towards that goal.

Rosemary Lamb Chops
Loosely adapted from Tyler Florence

8 (3-ounce) lamb chops
⅓ cup olive oil
6 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Australian salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

In a dish large enough to hold the lamb chops in a single layer, combine olive oil, the rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the lamb, turn to coat with the marinade and set aside for about 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat, for about 1 minute. Pat the chops dry and season on 1 side with salt and pepper. Add enough oil to lightly coat the surface of the pan. Working in batches if needed, add the chops seasoned side down to the pan. Cook until crisp and brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season the top side with salt and pepper, turn, and continue cooking until just firm and an instant-read thermometer registers 130 to 135°F, about 1 to 2 minutes. Allow the chops to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Drunken Potatoes
From Jill Dupleix, as seen on Trembom blog

3 large long potatoes (about 1½ pounds)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Heat the oven to 375°F. Peel the potatoes and finely slice crosswise. Toss the potato slices in a bowl with the olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Lightly oil a baking tray or oven proof dish and scatter the potatoes loosely over the base. It is vital that you choose a dish that is large enough so that your potato slices don't get crammed. Pour over the white wine and scatter with the thyme.

Bake for 30 minutes, during which time the wine will boil and bubble away, and the potatoes will crisp to a beautiful golden crunch. Keep an eye on them during the last few minutes after the wine has evaporated, as they can over-crisp.The slices in the corners might get scorched, but it's worth the sacrifice.

Crisco: Chicken Enchiladas in Red Sauce

Back when my family first moved to Texas, we had to learn about Tex-Mex.  See, we came from the East Coast, and the only exposure we had to things like tacos and enchiladas was the local Taco Bell.  So in flipping through a cooking magazine one day, we happened to come across a Crisco ad with a recipe for enchiladas.  Looked simple enough, so we plunged right in.  Now, these are certainly not authentic anything, but they are 1) delicious, 2) easy to make, and 3) good for leftovers.  I still make them when the family gets together since I know everything will enjoy it and happily munch away.

Note: I have doubled the enchilada sauce recipe because, well, I like things saucy.

Chicken Enchiladas in Red Sauce
Adapted from Crisco

Enchilada Sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
½ cup thinly sliced green onion
¾ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cup sour cream
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
Canola oil, as needed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas

Spray a 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the Enchilada Sauce.

In a medium bowl, mix chicken, green onions, ½ cup Cheddar cheese, ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, chiles, and cilantro. Stir in ½ cup Enchilada Sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat ½ inch of oil in a pan. Fry the tortillas, one at a time, until soft (10 seconds per side). Drain on paper towels. Spread a small amount of the Enchilada Sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread 2 heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture in each tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down, side by side, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over, top with remaining cheeses, and bake until bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with extra sour cream, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro.

Makes 6 servings

Enchilada Sauce
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 cups chicken broth
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oil in a large saucepan; stir in flour and chili powder; cook for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Makes 6 cups

CDKitchen: Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow it was decided that for Mother's Day, children should cook their mother breakfast and serve it to her in bed.  No matter the age or cooking ability of the children.  Hopefully with Dad's help.  Normally we all get together and plot out some sort of breakfast for Mom, and as we got older and a little more skilled, the breakfasts got a little more interesting.  But since the entire family was in different places for Mother's Day morning, we opted not to make breakfast this year.  Instead we did dinner.

My sister made herb-crusted pork tenderloin (ie. took an herbed pork tenderloin out of a package and roasted it) and sweet potato casserole with a brown sugar pecan butter topping.  We added steamed fresh broccoli and some wheat yeast rolls.  Why is it that when holidays like this roll around, I'm never very motivated to make something amazing?  Something to ponder.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

From CDKitchen

3 large sweet potatoes

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup packed light brown sugar

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Peel and slice sweet potatoes into ¼-inch slices. Boil in water until soft, drain and mash. Beat with electric beaters, stopping every so often to remove any strings that may collect on beaters. Add butter and sugar to warm potatoes and continue mixing. Add milk and vanilla extract. Mix well and put in a 8x12-inch buttered casserole dish.

Mix the topping ingredients together and crumble over top of casserole. Bake 30 minutes at 350°F. Freezes well before or after cooking.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Binnur's Turkish Cookbok: Firinda Meyaneli Tavuk (Chicken with White Sauce) and Acma (Soft Turkish Bagels)

Even though I spent a couple of days in Turkey back in 2001, the food that I ate there must not have been memorable, because I can't remember any of it. I figured it had to be better than that. I searched some Turkish recipe websites for some inspiration, and I finally came up with Chicken with White Sauce, called Firinda Meyaneli Tavuk. It seemed filling and pleasing without needing ingredients I had never heard of. I decided to make some Soft Turkish Bagels to go on the side, but I substituted poppy seed for the black sesame seeds called for in the original recipe. While the Chicken with White Sauce came out bland and rather tasteless, the Turkish bagels were delectable.

Firinda Meyaneli Tavuk (Chicken with White Sauce)
From Binnur's Turkish Cookbook

1 (4-pound) chicken
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 zucchini, cut into medium-sized chunks
6 to 7 white mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Kashar cheese (or Mozzarella), shredded (for garnish)
Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup warm milk

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Boil the whole chicken with water in a large pot. Take the chicken out of the stock and let it cool down. Discard the skin and all the bones from the chicken and tear it apart in medium sized chunks with your fingers.

In a large skillet, cook the onion with olive oil over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Then add the garlic, salt and pepper. Sauté until the smell of the garlic comes out.

Add the flour, stir and slowly pour the warm milk in it while stirring constantly. The milk and flour should blend very well. Turn the heat off. Mix the chicken, zucchini, mushroom and green onions with the flour sauce and arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.

Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.

Makes 4 servings

Acma (Soft Turkish Bagels)

From Binnur's Turkish Cookbook

7 grams instant yeast

¼ cup lukewarm water

2½ tablespoons granulated sugar

½ cup lukewarm whole milk

½ cup sunflower oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon sea salt

Glaze:

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Nigella or black poppy seeds

Mix the yeast with warm water in a large bowl. Stir well so the yeast dissolves, then add the sugar, milk, and sunflower oil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the flour and salt slowly and knead. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap over the rim and let it rest for about 2 hours until the dough rises to twice its size.

Take a small-size ball from the dough and make it longer by spinning it. Then close up the ends to make a ring shape. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle Nigella seeds on top.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place parchment paper on an oven tray and arrange the dough rings on it. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375°F. Then, bake 15 more minutes or until the tops turn a golden brown.

Makes 8 to 9 bagels

Giada de Laurentiis: Pollo alla Fiorentina (Chicken Florentine Style)

At first I thought that Giada was just a pretty face.  Someone cute to stick on Food Network so that people would tune in.  Enough of those stiff Le Cordon Bleu graduates.  That's what I thought.  Until I tried this chicken.  I love spinach, so she pretty much had me sold to begin with.  But oh. my. god.  This chicken is luscious.  The sauce is amazing.  And you'll need a piece of bread to scoop up all the golden goodness pooling on your plate.

Pollo alla Fiorentina (Chicken Florentine Style)
From Giada de Laurentiis

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sliced shallots
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1½ cups dry white wine
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed, drained

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly. Shake off any excess flour. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until the shallots are translucent, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, about 1 minute. Add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce reduces by half, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the sauce, and turn the chicken to coat in the sauce.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in another large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and sauté until heated through. Season the spinach, to taste, with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach over a platter. Place the chicken atop the spinach. Pour the sauce over and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Emeril Lagasse: Baked Codfish with Irish Cheese Crust

I always thought cod was best served with a crispy brown crust on a sandwich.  Not necessarily so.  It's equally, possibly more, delicious covered in bread crumbs and cheese and baked in cream.  Luscious enough for you?  Too bad St. Patrick's Day only comes around once a year.  And don't try to get all Americanized on me and use that nasty yellow mustard in a squeeze container.  This MUST have Colman's mustard.  It's got that rich bite that makes the whole darn thing worth it.

Baked Codfish with Irish Cheese Crust
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

4 (6-ounce) codfish fillets, skins removed
Emeril's Essence Seasoning (or your own mix)
½ cup fine breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
2 teaspoons Colman's English mustard (paste form, not dry powder)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
6 ounces Kerrygold Vintage Irish Cheddar, grated
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a casserole dish and set aside.

Lightly season the codfish on both sides with Essence and place in the prepared dish, skin side down.

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, butter, parsley, mustard, and garlic, and mix well. Add the cheese and mix well. Place on the fish, patting down to make a crust. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Pour the cream over the fish and bake until the fish is cooked through, golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve.

Makes 4 servings