Julia Child: Sole Meunière

This recipe almost seems too simple to be true.  The fish is just quickly fried in butter with some lemon and parsley at the end.  And this is also the dish transcendental dish that gave us the Julia Child we all know and love.  Is it truly perfection?  For all of its simplicity, I'm going to have to say yes.  Everything is so perfectly balanced: just slightly crisp fish, rich butter, tart lemon.

Sole Meunière
Adapted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child

4 to 6 skinless, boneless fillets Dover sole

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
About 4 tablespoons clarified butter
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Dry the fish, trim and flatten it. Lay it out on a sheet of wax paper.

Dust the fillets lightly on each side with salt and pepper. The moment before sauteing, rapidly drop each into the flour to coat both sides, and shake off the excess. Set the frying pan over high heat and film with ⅟16-inch of clarified butter. When the butter is very hot, but not browning, rapidly lay in as many fillets as will fit easily, leaving a little space between each. Sauté a minute or two on one side, turn carefully so as not to break the fillet, and sauté a minute or two on the other side. The fish is done when just springy rather than squashy to the touch of your finger. Immediately remove from the pan to warm plates or a platter. (Or, if you are sauteing in 2 batches, keep the first warm for the few minutes necessary in a 200ºF oven.

Sprinkle each fillet with parsley. Wipe the frying pan clean, set over high heat, and add the fresh butter, heat until bubbling and pour over fillets - the parsley will bubble up nicely. Decorate with lemon wedges, and serve at once.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Simply Recipes: Bayerisches Sauerkraut (Bavarian Sauerkraut) and Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat (Swabian-Style German Potato Salad)

Since the local Oktoberfest celebration is a little bit expensive, and a lot unappetizing, I decided that this year we should celebrate at home with better food and less money out of pocket. The traditional fare was a must, so I scoured the internet for some decent recipes, mostly trying to find a replica of the amazing sauerkraut I've had at this little German restaurant down near Ft. Hood, TX. I think the main difference is cooking the sauerkraut with juniper berries, so that's what I concentrated on. I also managed to dig up a pretty decent recipe for hot potato salad that turned out rather scrumptious, so two thumbs up. I visited Kuby's down near Southern Methodist University to get some fresh sausages, both weisswurst and bratwurst, along with a jar of cooked red cabbage and German mustard.

Bayerisches Sauerkraut (Bavarian Sauerkraut)

Adapted from Simply Recipes

1 (16-ounce) jar sauerkraut

1 cup white wine, such as Riesling

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ cup peeled and chopped apple

10 juniper berries

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place sauerkraut in a pot.  Add wine, onion, apple, juniper berries, caraway seeds, salt, pepper, and oil. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until the onions are soft.

Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat (Swabian-Style German Potato Salad)
From cooks.com

4 large potatoes

4 slices applewood smoked bacon
½ cup onion, chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

⅓ cup water

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon or whole grain mustard

Slice potatoes thinly, leaving peel on for rustic look. Boil in a large pot of water until nearly tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain.

Chop bacon into small pieces. In a large skillet, cook bacon until nearly done. Add onions, and sauté until soft. Sprinkle flour in skillet, and stir to incorporate flour into fat. Sprinkle with sugar, and add water, vinegar, and mustard. Cook until sauce thickens. You may need to adjust the levels of vinegar, mustard, and sugar until the right taste is achieved. Add potatoes and heat just until warm. Serve hot.

Tteokbokki 떡볶이 (Korean Spicy Rice Cake)

When I lived in Seoul, South Korea, this snack was on every corner.  Almost literally.  Most street vendors had this bubbling away, ready to be spooned onto a plastic bag-covered plate for instant gratification.  And although I was at first a bit hesitant to try it (I doubt those carts are inspected in any way whatsoever), I now find that I occasionally start to crave this spicy little treat, even if it makes my nose run.

Tteokbokki 떡볶이 (Korean Spicy Rice Cake)

1 cup dashi or beef broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 tablespoons red pepper paste (gochujang)
4 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths on the bias, green and white parts
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 (1½-pound) package cylindrical rice cakes (garae tteok)
3 pieces flat fried fish cake (approximately 3x6-inches each)

Combine the broth, garlic, red pepper paste, green onions, and sugar in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Slice the rice cake diagonally into 2-inch pieces, if necessary, and add to the sauce.  Cook until the rice cakes soften and the sauce starts to thicken, about 6 minutes.  Cut each fish cake into 8 triangles.  Add the fish cakes to the rice cake mixture and cook until heated through.  Add a little water if necessary to keep the sauce fluid.

Makes 4 servings

Jungle Jim's International Market: Throwdown Crab Cakes

So I was watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and I just happened to catch the episode where he does this crab cake throwdown with a couple up in Booth Bay, Maine, who supposedly make the best crab cakes on the planet. The whole episode I'm drooling up a storm, but when I look for the recipe (not Bobby Flay's, the other people's), it's not on the website. Dang secret recipes! Well, I think I caught enough of the ingredients from the snippets they showed, so I finally crafted a recipe using something I found online that I think is pretty close, at least without tasting the original. And these crab cakes are amazing!

Throwdown Crab Cakes

Adapted from Margie's Crab Cakes from Jungle Jim's International Market

1 large egg, beaten until the egg lightens slightly

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons lemon rind, finely grated

1 teaspoon lime rind, finely grated

¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 cup panko, plus extra for crust

1 pound peeky toe or blue swimmer crab meat, checked for shell bits

Olive oil

Butter

Combine first nine ingredients. Add panko and mix until moist. Add crab, and fold in gently with your hands to ensure that crab stays in chunks. Using an ice cream scooper, make scoops of crab and place on a cookie sheet (I got about 14 out of this recipe). Refrigerate for one hour. Form scoops into patties a little smaller than your palm. Dip each flat side lightly in panko. Let the cakes rest for about five minutes. Heat an equal mixture of olive oil and butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Fry each cake for about three minutes on each side, but watch them, because they may be done in about two and a half. EAT!!

Dorothy Huang: Suan La Tang (Hot and Sour Soup)

I was never a huge fan of the gloopy hot and sour soup you generally get from the Chinese take out places.  (And the neon yellow egg drop soup isn't any better.)  But when I lived in Austin during college, I had the chance to take a Chinese cooking class, and the dishes were so authentic, that I found I actually liked hot and sour soup.  Now, you need to visit a good Chinese grocery to get some of these ingredients, but trust me, it's worth it.

Suan La Tang (Hot and Sour Soup)
Adapted from Dorothy Huang

3 dried Chinese black mushrooms, soaked in hot water until soft, sliced into strips
4 cups water
1½ teaspoons bonito flavored soup stock granules
½ can shredded bamboo shoots, rinsed well
3 tablespoons Szechuan mustard greens, rinsed well to remove salt (optional)
1 tablespoon cloud ear black fungus, soaked until soft and rinsed well
20 dried lily buds, soaked, stem removed, and tied into knots
½ pound fresh tofu (firm), cut into small cubes
1 large egg, slightly beaten

Sauce:
2½ tablespoons tapioca starch
1½ tablespoons water
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Heat water until boiling. Add soup stock granules and stir well. Let boil for several minutes. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots, mustard greens, black fungus, and lily buds. Let boil for two more minutes. Mix sauce ingredients into a paste, starting with tapioca starch and water. Add to boiling soup. Add tofu and egg, stirring quickly so egg dissipates into threads. Add additional soy sauce if needed. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings

China, The Beautiful Cookbook: Shīzi Tóu (“Lion Heads” Stewed Large Meatballs)

This is the Chinese answer to those big 'ol meatballs you get at Italian restaurants that are as big as your fist.  Except I think the Chinese probably thought these up first.  And because they cook up low and slow, they're about as tender as silk.  You can cook them over low heat, or you can do what I did, and put them in the oven at 325°F.

Note: I didn't have any lard on me, so I decided that bacon fat is much more suitable than tasteless vegetable oil for frying the cabbage.

Shīzi Tóu (“Lion Heads” Stewed Large Meatballs)
Adapted from China, The Beautiful Cookbook by Kevin Sinclair

1¼ pounds lean ground pork
2½ tablespoons finely chopped green onion
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 (1½-pound) Napa cabbage
½ (15-ounce) can straw mushrooms, rinsed (optional)
Lard or vegetable oil, for frying
1½ to 2 cups chicken stock

Mix together the pork, green onion, ginger, salt, and wine and work the meat with your fingers until smooth and sticky. Form into 4 large meatballs.

Wash the cabbage and cut lengthwise into quarters. Stir-fry the cabbage and mushrooms (if using) briefly in a wok in lard or vegetable oil, adding a generous pinch of salt.

Spread half of the cabbage across the bottom of a casserole and place the meatballs on top, then cover with the remaining cabbage.

Add enough boiling stock to just cover the meatballs. Cover the casserole tightly and simmer over low heat for about 1½ hours or until the meatballs are melt-in-the-mouth tender.

Serve in the casserole, pushing the vegetables to one side to expose the meatballs.

Makes 4 servings

Gourmet: Spiced Saffron Rice

This is my go-to recipe for rice when I'm making an Indian meal.  It's fragrant and luxurious and goes with just about any main dish.  And you can even make it in your rice cooker if you want it to get any easier.  Just fry up the spices in the oil, dump it in the rice cooker with the rice and water, and go.  Immediate gratification.  Well, almost.

Spiced Saffron Rice
Adapted from Gourmet magazine, March 1991

1½ cups Basmati rice
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
7 whole cloves
5 green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
2 tablespoons whole milk or half-and-half

In a large bowl wash rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear and drain it in a fine sieve. In a large heavy saucepan heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the cinnamon stick, the cloves, and the cardamom pods, if using, and fry the spices, stirring, for 30 seconds, or until the cloves are puffed slightly. Add rice and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute, or until the rice is opaque. Add 2¼ cups water and the salt, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook the rice, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, in a heatproof bowl set over a small pan of simmering water heat the saffron for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it is brittle. Add milk, heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it is hot, and remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle the saffron mixture over the rice and continue to cook the rice, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

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