Soy pickled Jalapenos

Soy-Pickled Jalapeños

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced jalapeno peppers (cut into thin rings)

3/4 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons garlic (minced)

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (packed)

2 limes (zested and juiced)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds (toasted and crushed)

Method:

·         Combine all ingredients in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil

·         Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.  Pour into a sterilized jar and seal with a lid.  Steep in refrigerator for 2 days before using.

I classify this as Fusion because the flavor profiles may seem Asian on first glance.  The end result is far more broad.  While these are good as a garnish for Udon/Ramen dishes for sure, the lime and cumin notes lend itself to South American palettes as well.  Simply awesome on nachos, tacos, and enchiladas.  These are the best pickled Jalapenos I've ever had.  The stuff in jars found in most "ethnic" aisles don't even begin to compare.

Picture forthcoming.

Asian Roasted Brussels Sprouts

When it comes to Brussels Sprouts people either love them or hate them.  I like to ask the haters what they don't like about them and the #1 response is; "They are bitter". Followed closely by #2; "They are mushy".  Combine bitter AND mushy and it makes total sense why people don't like them.  Most at-fault cooking method: Boiling.

Oh good people, you are missing out on one of my all time favorite vegetables!

Nutritionally these sprouts pack a wallop!  They are high in fiber, low in calories, and loaded with antioxidants and healthy phytochemicals.  Getting them in season is a special treat because they are sweet and earthy.  Roasting them is my preferred cooking method.  It is a great means of seasoning and caramelizing them to fit any flavor profile. Cast aside the swirling cauldron of bitter broth and grab a mixing bowl and a sheet pan.  Set your oven to bake at 375F and learn to roast them!

Teriyaki Chicken with Asian Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
4-6 C Brussels Sprouts (trimmed, cleaned, drained, and quartered)
~Seasonings~
2 large cloves Garlic (minced)
1 T Fresh Ginger (minced)
1 T Brown Sugar
2 t Mirin
1 T Soy Sauce
1/2 t Sesame oil (optional)
2-3 T Canola oil
Red Pepper Flakes (tt)
Salt (tt)
ground black pepper (tt)

Method:

1. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment (to ease cleanup).
2. Combine Seasonings and stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Combine Sprouts and Seasoning blend in a bowl or zip-top bag and toss to coat sprouts evenly.
4. Spread sprouts out evenly into a single layer on the pan.  Roast at 375F until they are tender and caramelized.  I'm not giving a time because it depends on the size of the sprouts.  It may be as little as 30min or more than an hour.

Notes:
One of my favorite things about this recipe is the single leaves that turn crisp.  One day when I get a deep fryer, I want to experiment with making Brussels Sprout "Chips" either on their own or as a base for a canape.

C = Cup(s)
T = Tablespoon(s)
t = Teaspoon(s)
(tt) = to taste

Mushroom Stock

I've got people.  These people supply me with great components that others would simply put in the compost pile.  I'm talking about 2 pounds of Shiitake mushroom stems!  They are fibrous and inedible, so what on earth can you do with them?  When cooked down with other aromatics into a stock it forms an earthy backdrop for one of my favorite winter soups... Dream of Mushroom Soup (separate post).  I highly recommend making a huge batch of this stock - especially if you follow a vegetarian diet.  The stock can be used in other veggie dishes and makes a fantastic cooking liquid.  I freeze some of it in ice-cube trays to make storage and portioning easier.

Ingredients:

2T olive oil

1ea medium yellow onion, rough diced

2ea garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1ea large carrot, peeled, rough diced

1ea parsnip, peeled, rough diced

2ea celery ribs, rough diced

1/2ea sweet red pepper, rough diced

2# shiitake mushroom stems

1 tsp salt

6 branches fresh thyme (stems and all)

6 branches fresh parsley (stems and all)

2-3 branches fresh sage (stems and all)

2 ea dry bay leaves

3-4ea dry cloves

16C cold water 

Method:

• In a large stock pot heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, stirring and cook til translucent.  Add carrot, parsnip, celery, red pepper, mushroom stems, and salt.  Stir and cook until vegetables start to release liquids.  Add herbs and water.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a fast simmer and cook for 45-60 min.
• Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer and return it to a large stock pot.  Reduce liquids to desired intensity (approx. another 45-60min.) 

Yields approximately 10 Cups of stock.

Simple Spanish Rice

This recipe uses what is called the Pilaf method.  It is easy and allows for opportunity to flavor the rice more subtly while maintaining a great finished texture.  Rice is such a great basic affordable staple you can do so much with.  This is something I use as a side-dish when I make Southwestern or Mexican inspired dishes.

Ingredients:
1 small shallot (ciseler)
1 tablespoon olive oil
~~~~~
1 cup white medium or long grain rice (rinsed)
1-2 tsp dried oregano 
1 bay leaf
1 1/3 cup tomato juice
~~~~~
tt kosher salt
tt white pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Heat oil in a small saucepan to shimmy.  Add shallots.  Saute, coating all sides of shallots.  Cook til just translucent (do not caramelize)
3. Add rinsed rice to hot mixture and saute or stir to coat rice evenly.  Add in dried oregano, stir to distribute evenly, then add tomato juice all at once.  Stir to even out the mixture and bring to slow simmer.
4. Remove pan from heat, cover with tight fitting lid.  Let sit in oven 10-15 min. or until liquid is absorbed.  Fluff with a fork.  Discard bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve hot.

Tips:

• If you don't have a lid for your saucepan, you can use foil.  Just make sure it is tight fitting to allow the steam to do all the work.
• One key to making fluffy, moist rice is to select a pot that holds the amount you need to cook, but has the smallest possible surface area.

Chardonnay Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

As a young single person, one of my weeknight "go-to" dishes was a tomato Alfredo sauce served over pasta.  Typically, I would reheat a bottle of commercially available sauce, and toss into it whatever pasta was in the pantry and crown it with whatever steamed vegetable  the "crisper" had to offer (usually broccoli).

My tastes have evolved since then and much has changed about my knowledge of how to extract maximum flavor from simple ingredients.  This is an ongoing project for me and I continue to refine the flavor profile.  Deconstructing what I loved about the dish I set out to develop a sauce that has a creamy texture, a strong tomato flavor, A notably boozy note, and a salty finish.

 I'm happy to introduce this as I find it a marked improvement over what you can buy commercially.  I selected Chardonnay  for this dish because I like its robust oakiness.  Any dry white wine would work.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups heavy cream

2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes (dry style, very thinly sliced)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1 garlic clove (crushed)

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1/8 tsp salt

1 sweet yellow onion (peeled, thin pole to pole slices)

1 garlic clove (minced)

1 ounce tomato paste

8 ounces chardonnay

8 ounces tomato juice

2 ounces Parmigiano Regiano (finely grated)

white roux

Method:  

1. Infuse the cream:  In a small saucepan over low heat combine cream, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and 1 crushed garlic clove.  Bring to scald, lower heat, and reduce to about 1 cup volume.  Remove bay leaf and keep warm.  
2. Caramelize aromatics:  In a large sateuse, heat olive oil over medium heat.  When oil is ready add onions and toss lightly with salt to draw out the moisture.  Saute onions until they start to caramelize.  Add minced garlic and stir to combine.  If garlic begins to burn, reduce heat.  Add a bit more oil to the pan if things get too dry.    
3. Deglaze, reduce, and thicken sauce: When the onions and garlic have caramelized, add the tomato paste and stir well.  Heat for about 1 minute or until the tomato paste begins to stick to the pan.  Deglaze the pan with the wine, scrape the suc from the pan.  Add warm cream mixture and tomato juice, stirring well.  Heat through and thicken with white roux and reduce to desired consistency.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese a little at a time.  
4. Serve over hot al-dente pasta.