mise en place

Moving!

2012-01-07T23:11:00.000-08:00

I am moving to wordpress.

Please join me at the new site!

www.thomasdangvo.com

Pork Rack, video coming soon!

2011-12-22T23:04:00.000-08:00

Roast Pork Rack, Parsnip Puree, Beets, and bacon golden delicious reduction. Video Coming Soon!

Chicken Vegetable Stir-Fry

2011-12-01T21:03:00.001-08:00

Quick, easy, and healthy dinner.

Dinner!

2011-11-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

Linguine with Tomato, Mozzarella, Sausage, Peas, and Garbanzo Beans.

Lunch.

2011-11-30T12:38:00.000-08:00

Salmon and warm bok choy and carrot slaw with sesame soy vinaigrette.

Sneak Peak

2011-11-27T21:29:00.000-08:00

15 Minute Meals: Tomato Soup and Sandwich

2011-11-10T21:09:00.000-08:00

Michael (my roommate for the last 4 years) came home today wanting tomato soup. I wasn't intending on cooking anything for dinner (it felt like a "turkey sandwich for dinner" day), but it then dawned on me that I have never made a tomato soup. I know I have the theory to make the soup but I have not experienced the practice. So here it is, my first attempt at tomato soup from scratch, with pantry staples. Done in roughly 15 minutes.

First, you'll need a 28oz can of tomatoes, preferably San Marzano variety (or any high quality canned tomato... or fresh tomatoes if they are in season.) I chopped up two fresh heirlooms and added it to the soup. Fresh tomatoes add a denser texture to the soup which helps to give some life to the soup. It might be nice to peel the tomatoes, but I was lazy.

Add all the tomatoes to a pot and simmer. I added in about 5 cloves of garlic, herbs de provence, dry vermouth, and cognac. Then grab yourself some Parmesan, the rind (the outer edge) of the cheese works great for adding some body, taste, and creaminess to the soup. I added about 3 thumb sized pieces, but add to taste.

Basically all you're doing is adding a bunch of ingredients into a pot and letting it simmer.

I finished with a knob of butter, but olive oil would be nice too (or nothing at all).

Ladle into bowls, garnish with whatever (I had a few leftover onions from the sandwiches and some parsley so I used that...of course basil would be nice, or some crab if you happen to have crab laying around...) You could add a drizzle of olive oil if you wanted to make it really nice. I didn't.

Sandwich is just a normal turkey, cheddar, and onion sandwich on Focaccia. Baked in the oven.

And that's it. 15 minute meal. Rachel Ray eat your heart out!

Overall the soup was pretty nice. It would have been better if I had shopped with tomato soup in mind, but alas I don't really shop with anything in mind. This soup was made with pantry staples for about $3.50-$4.00 for 4-5 servings. Not too bad.

Thanks for reading.

Learning to Thai my shoes. Part 1

2011-11-08T00:34:00.000-08:00

Thai food is weird to me. It's weird because its not what you normal think of when you think of asian food (unless you are, in fact, Thai). It also blends a ton of flavors, from South-East Asian countries and the middle east. I also eat Thai food maybe...6 times a year? (at a restaurant) And I'm pretty sure I just get pad thai half the time. However, although I am inexperienced on the subject, I do think I understand the flavors. I am after all Vietnamese...so Thai is right up my alley. Here I chronicle my take on Thai.

I want soup. It finally feels like autumn so I know I want a few things: turkey, sage, winter warmers, butternut squash, and soup. Here is my take on chicken noodle soup, Thai inspired.

The stock is made from a whole chicken, chicken broth, ginger, star anise, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, onions, whole white peppercorns, and parsley stems. Boil for about an hour, strain off everything. Shred the chicken and reserve. Bring the stock back to a boil and add in a can of coconut milk. I used Pho noodles here. I also wanted some freshness and color so I made a quick salad with cilantro, fresno chilies, and green onions. I filled the bowls with noodles, topped with shredded chicken (dressed with salt, pepper, sherry vinegar, and sesame oil), poured the soup over and topped with the salad.

Came out pretty well. Those fried shallots that they sell at the asian store would go really go with this. I think making this with duck would be great. The noodles worked pretty well. All in all a satisfying soup.

Thanks for reading.

Gravlax 1 (Scandinavia via Moraga)

2011-11-08T00:04:00.000-08:00

So I decided to make gravlax (aka gravad lax, aka gravlaks). Kinda on a whim kinda because I've wanted to for the longest time. Gravlax is cured fish, usually salmon. Traditionally there are only four ingredients (like Beer! and Bread!) those ingredients are fish, salt, sugar, and dill. For my first attempt I followed that recipe using equal ratios of salt and sugar. Basically... you apply the sugar and salt liberally, cover in dill, make a sandwich with the two pieces and let cure for 24-72 hours (I did 36). I also weighted mine down with a can of beans.

I think my results weren't too bad, but just to have full disclosure...I've only had gravlax maybe once or twice in my life...and my memory is fuzzy about those events. Overlooking that minor detail I think it came out well. I probably should use higher quality salmon (wild and sockeye preferably) but I couldn't find any. I think the 50/50 solution works fine, I might try tinkering with different salts and sugars (maybe smoked salt and raw sugar). I'd also like to add pepper to it. But all in all...not bad. I served it sliced with pita chips, quick cucumbers, and a mustard dill sauce.

Thanks for reading.

Homeskillet

2011-09-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

Jon. My dear friend who's currently living and studying in LA. I would have to say he's probably contributed about 75% of the views of my blog (through his own views and recommendations on his tumblr). Well, Jon, I am sorry for my lack of posting, I could offer all the generic blog excuses (crazy midterms, swamped at work, laziness, etc) but I won't. Instead I offer you this meager, simple dish.

Frittata

A frittata is basically a Spanish Baked Omelet. What this translates too is really EASY way to stretch eggs, some meat, and a few vegetables. This was probably the first dish I can remember of being proud to serve people (maybe 9 or 10 years ago? I miss being a kid). I am only going to discuss the method here because I don't remember the exact ingredients (anything goes really). This is the kind of meal that's perfect for entertaining guest for breakfast on the fly.

Preheat the broiler to 500. Grab yourself an oven safe pan (although honestly, since this won't be in the oven for terrible long, any saute pan will probably work). Cook up some meat and vegetables, as much as you want, but I don't like to overload the pan (so enough to cover the bottom). Here I sauteed some breakfast sausage with red bell peppers, onions, shimeji and enoki mushrooms (season with salt and pepper, I also like some paprika). Make sure the saute is relatively dry otherwise the Frittata will be to wet.
Eggs. You can really stretch your eggs here. Since they're supposed to be fluffy you can add more milk or water than normal. I like to add some flour to my eggs as I think this helps with creating a creamy texture (I add about 1 tablespoon of flour to every 3 eggs). I also like to add some shredded Parmesan here, as much as you want.
Add the eggs to the pan and cook over the stove until the bottom is lightly set.
Stick the pan in the oven and broil till top is almost set. Remove from oven and sprinkle with some Parmesan. Place back into oven until nicely browned. Serve warm or room temperature (honestly this is pretty good cold too.)

I guarantee that once you get this method down, you will be making this often without fail. It's easy, tasty, and feeds a ton of people. Its also something to let your creative side roam around with in a relatively fool proof way.

As always,

Thanks for reading.

I found these on my memory card.

2011-08-09T22:35:00.000-07:00

Red Snapper with lemon, green onion, and red chili

Grilled Shrimp with Chili Honey Glaze and Miso dipping sauce

Thanks for reading.

Music to Cook By #2

2011-08-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

Soft as Chalk by Joanna Newsom

Roll one up, Homie.

2011-07-27T00:07:00.000-07:00

I am not one to go crazy for egg rolls. Actually, I don't care for most rolled things... burritos are okay...but I'd rather eat everything separately...sushi rolls are cool....but I'd rather have nigiri...and a roulade is nice looking... but I don't think it's the optimal way to prepare the ingredients. Yes, I am not a roll fanatic.

However, every rule has its exception. And this egg roll is it. It's my mom's "recipe" (I use that loosely because there is not actual recipe but rather a...philosophy of egg rollingology). And I could say how this recipe has been passed down from generation to generation of Vietnamese families, how my mom fled the country with $20 and this recipe written on a banana leaf, how we have killed many to keep this recipe safe. But I would be lying. Truth is, this recipe has been constantly modified and tweaked since my mom started making them (I like to think I had some input, but I can never be sure of these things). This "recipe" is a constantly evolving animal seeking change and innovation.

Its always about the philosophy. I propose the perfect egg roll. Not mushy or wet like cheap Chinese takeout. Nor so hard and crunchy that they tear up your tonsils. There should be a perfect layer of fried outside to moist inside. Not too big, not too small. These are rules we can all live by.

So let's assemble the ingredients. You got your veggies, and you got your protein. This time we used about 6 cups julienne taro, 1-2 cups woodear mushrooms (an asian variety, found dried) and 3 cups green cabbage. The protein consists of 2.5 lbs ground pork, 2 lbs shrimp, and 4 cups cubed tofu. These measurements are approximate. This recipe makes a lot but they keep well in the freezer. But if you want to scale the recipe down, its about 50/50 veggies to protein (these are great made with just tofu for a vegetarian alternative).

Bind everything together with 2 whole eggs and season with salt, pepper, fish sauce, and garlic powder. Mix until incorporated.

Now to roll. We tend to use Menlo brand wrappers, but your favorite wrapper (or better yet, the one that is on sale) will work. We seal the wrappers with milk or egg or a mix of both (depending on mood really...).
Start with a wrapper.

Put about...this much filling.

Roll 1/3 the way up, fold in the left and right corners and then fold all the way, seal the edge with the milk/egg mixture.

Stack up a bunch to make a cool picture.

Wrap the rolls in pyramid shapes. Egg rolls freeze amazingly. In fact, most of the time we don't eat the egg rolls right away. Rather we are anticipating that there might be some uncontrollable midnight craving for egg rolls one night...and we want to be prepared. This recipe makes about 90 rolls. What to do with a freezer full of egg rolls? Bring them to parties (people will love you). Make dinner for your family/friends/roommates by frying them up and serving with some rice noodles, cucumbers, chopped peanuts, bean sprouts, lettuce, and fish sauce vinaigrette. with a freezer full of egg rolls.

My favorite sauce for this is fish sauce vinaigrette (Nước mắm pha) is basically one part lime juice, one part fish sauce, one part sugar, and two parts water (we like to add minced garlic and thai chilies). This ubiquitous Vietnamese sauce is served on everything from rice noodles, to grilled pork. If you have a jar of this on hand... you will never go hungry.

BUT, we got lazy. And our provisions of Nước mắm pha were all used up. So we used sweet chili sauce (GASP! A premade product!?). Yes, its premade. Not it taste good. Really. We mix it with some vinegar to give it some acidic bite. But really, any egg roll sauce will do (or plain, that's good too).

This recipe is a lesson on change. My mom's egg rolls were good before, and we just could have easily stuck to them. But we didn't. And here we are. With the BEST egg rolls. Ever.

Thanks for reading.

Figs, Figs, and Figs! (Guesstibaking)

2011-07-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

So we have a fig tree. A big one.

Photo:Proof of fig tree ownership

So we have a lot of figs. My mom doesn't really eat figs...so she ASSUMES that everybody in the house dislikes them too. Which is wrong. I love figs. So this year I convinced my mom too keep a few for the house before giving them all away. But too much of a good thing is...well too much.

So I went on an internet journey to find fig recipes. I was really interested in doing a bread since figs and bananas, although share nothing in common on the surface, do have a sort of slimy/mushy consistency. I typed "fig bread recipe" into google, and BAM! tons of recipes. I finally found one I liked. However, it required 3 eggs and I had only 2. It needed buttermilk which I didn't have. It called for plain white sugar but I was hell bent on using honey (figs and honey, its biblical). So here is where I start improving. And the first rule of improv is "Say Yes" (alternatively, don't deny). So I said yes.

First lets get the easy stuff out of the way. Grease and batter bread pans. I used one big pan since we don't have smaller ones, but this "recipe" makes enough for about 2 loaves. Oh, and chop up some walnuts while you're there.

Here's what we will refer to as "The Goop". The Goop consists of 2 cups of fresh fig meat (here mission figs), 1.5 cups of honey, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup oil of your choice. I think that's it. It should look disgusting at this point. (mmhmm egg, oily, sweet fig goop.)

Dry stuff. 3.5 cups of flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon.

Now you make the batter. This is where it gets kind of tricky (for me). If you don't have buttermilk you can make your own by mixing a tablespoon of vinegar with plain milk and letting it sit for ten minutes. If you don't use this substitute the pH will be wrong and the reaction with the baking soda not take place. In addition the substitution of honey for sugar requires less liquid overall since honey is part liquid. The original recipe called for .5 cups of buttermilk...and I eyeballed it, so its about .4 cups of buttermilk substitute.

Baked at 350 for about 45 minutes. I had to drop the heat to about 300 after 20 minutes since it was browning to fast (stupid big pan).

I still had about... well lets just say I still had a lot of figs. So I made some basic fig jam. Its about
1.5 cups of figs with .5 cup splenda and enough pectin to make it thick. Cook on low until desired texture is achieved.

I also made some pancakes with the leftover batter, which turned out fantastic. Served with a little shaved butter. Would be great if I made some type of fig syrup. But, alas, I didn't.

The finished bread. Bread will taste best about 24 hours after its been baked (wrapped in plastic wrap), the texture seems to firm up and retain moisture better.

The finished bread all gussied up. The left has some jam and the right has cream cheese mixed with the jam (sounds strange, but just think of cream cheese frosting on carrot cake...).

Lessons Learned: I don't (Currently) posses the restraint to be a good pastry cook. I enjoy the power of yeast, but as for normal pastries I still can't follow a recipe (probably because I gotta make everything Thomasafied). However, that being said, I still think I did a passing job here. And I did make a dent (a very, very small dent) in my fig arsenal.

So... Who wants some figs?

Thanks for reading.

Music to Cook By #1

2011-07-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

Mad About You by Hooverphonic

Pork legs for all you chick(pea)s.

2011-07-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one day?! Let's just say I felt generous for ya'll. No, oh no need to thank me. I'm just trying to become the responsible blogger I've always dreamt/dreamed (yup, I googled, turns out the words are the SAME, Brits use dreamt, oh the Brits.) Anyways, here's what I cooked today.

I got home from work. Halfheartedly hoping for dinner, but I knew deep down that we would be eating protein powder sprinkled on Crunch Berries if I didn't cook something.

I made pork. Pork leg to be exact. I bought it on Sunday to smoke, but realized it was too much food so I put it in the fridge for another day. I've never actually cooked it myself, but it looked good, and that skin would make a fine cracklin'. I rubbed the meat simply with red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I wanted something to cook the meat on so I rummaged the pantry. I came up with a couple cans of chickpeas, rinsed and put into the pan with some red onion, orange peel, red pepper, and lemons. I roasted the whole thing at 375 for about 45min to 1.25 hours. (Honestly I lost track of time...)

Wanted a little extra moisture and something to add to the crust so I made a quick glaze of orange zest, orange juice, about an inch of fresh ginger, star anise, red chili, soy, mirin (rice vinegar), and honey.

Vegetables 'cuz we healthy. Sauteed zucchs (zucchinis, I ain't got time to say the whole word) with some of the extra glaze tossed in, a squeeze of lemon, and parsley.

Finished product out of the oven, wish I had taken a shot of it still in the pan... but you can imagine that.

Yeah, of course you would go for the one with the most skin.

Oh, crispy, crispy, skin.
Thanks for reading.
Please Follow if you aren't already. (If you don't THEY will come.)

Summer Cookin'

2011-07-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've updated this thing. I've been going through a blogging identity crisis, but I think things are okay now...hopefully. I planning to expand the blog into my daily cooking, not just special occasion meals. I'm thinking that these more "routine" meal postings will focus on how I cook for myself, family, and friends most of the time: focusing on in season, affordable ingredients. They might not be complete recipes...but you'll at least have something to look at and read. All 4 of you blog followers you. (Follow on Google Connect on the right hand side of the blog Please!)

Anyways, here's some BBQ shots from this weekend...

Smoking rig for Pork butt (Chili flakes, garlic powder, salt, pepper) and some figs that were used in a kale, mozzarella, and pickled onion salad.

Ran out of propane, so I switched to this snazzy new fire pit, using a repurposed oven rack as a grill. Finishing of the pork butt. Added some pork belly, oysters, and corn.

Oysters, you either love em or hate em. These are those huge west coast oysters that are really only good for cooking.

"Oooh so this is fire?"

Everything together: BBQ'ed corn, oysters, smoked pork butt, smoked pork belly (glazed with mirin, soy, and fish sauce) and grilled 20-25 shrimp with orange, lemon, garlic, and olive oil. Oh and Beer. Never forget the Beer.

Bread, ya'll.

2011-04-28T15:10:00.001-07:00

Notes to myself: French Boule with Tbs oil, proof 2x addition of Tbs honey each time. Steam pan on top of pot during baking

The Forgoten Pig

2011-04-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

Although its Spring, the weather has been chilly for the past few days. Add into that the dreaded "Temple Test" (psychology class) and I was in need of something warm and comforting. Hence why I am posting this dish, a very Autumn-y dish that is really just a basic format for any meat and root veg combo.
Pork Loin is one of those cuts that everybody eats, but nobody really cares about. You've got your chicken breast lovers, your filet mignon devotees, your sushi fanatics, but Pork Loin hasn't really got a cheering section. And that's a shame, because its a lean affordable cut of meat that when treated right, can be a juicy, tender, and dare I say, comforting dinner.

Roasted Pork Loin with Fennel Seed and Curry, Root Vegetables
Ingredients
-2-3 lbs pork loin (bring to room temperature for even cooking)
-2 Tbs fennel seed
-2 Tbs curry powder (store bought or homemade)
-assorted squash and root vegetables

1) Heat a pan in a 375 degree oven with a light layer of oil. Once the oil is hot (about 10 minutes) add your vegetables and coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and some curry powder. Place in the oven. (Here, the preheated oil will ensure the starchy veg doesn't stick and develops a nice crust) Set timer for an 1 hour 15 minutes.
2) After the veg are in the oven, heat a pan over high heat until searing hot. Apply salt, pepper, fennel seed, and curry powder to the outside of your room temperature pork. Add some oil to the pan and sear on all sides until a golden crust is made.
3) Now your veg should be at about 45 minutes, so take them out and flip everything. At this point add your seared pork loin to top of the veg in order to finish roasting in the oven. Pork should be done at the same time as the veg, but may take up to ten minutes longer. Roast until desired doneness.

This is an easy way to cook big chunks of meat (and in my opinion, one of the bests). If you have the time, brineing the pork would be great. But then again I still got that test...

More Bread, Whole Wheat

2011-04-20T00:07:00.001-07:00

100% Whole Wheat French and 50% Wheat 50% AP Focaccia.

Whole Wheat Crumb Structure, still not exactly sure on my wheat ratios, needed more water, perhaps use finer flour.

Focaccia Crumb Structure, good crumb structure, addition of olive oil kept the bread moist for a few days.

I wanna try making a sourdough starter next.

Lamb with Tzatziki

2011-04-19T23:45:00.000-07:00

I come home for Spring Break and ask my family what's for dinner. Turns out my sister loves lamb (my 11 year old sister.) and I have no idea how or when she had it. Apparently she remembers when I made it, which isn't as often as I would like. I love lamb, but it gets such a bad rep amongst most American eaters. It's gamey (which I like), but most supermarket lamb today is pretty mild by most standards. But it's also foreign to us. You can't go to Chili's and order it. Or Red Lobster. Or any other big chain. It's got a unique flavor, but its similar to beef in that you can eat it medium rare (although I cooked this medium well since my family isn't super fond of bloody meat). I think if Americans are willing to give lamb a second chance, most will be rewarded with a brand new source for culinary experiments.

Roasted Leg of Lamb, Onions, Zucchini, and a Mint-Rosemary Tzatziki. Plus these awesome chive blossoms that I could not not use.
The onions and zucchinis you can replace with pretty much any vegetable (although these work pretty well).
The Tzatziki is basically Greek yogurt pureed with a bunch of garlic, herbs, and cucumber (I left out the cucumber used rosemary and mint. I also added some Kewpie mayonnaise for additional richness and sweetness).
I used a boneless leg of lamb (3-4 lbs). Seared it in a pan until brown and roasted in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour 30 minutes (for medium well, medium rare would probably take about 1 hour and 10, but use a thermometer for better accuracy). Let the meat rest and and serve with Tzatziki, vegetables, and pan drippings.

Enjoy!

Busy busy busy...but here are some food pictures.

2011-04-16T22:30:00.000-07:00

Corned beef with cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms. Made great corned beef hash the next day.

Soba Noodle Salad with Chinese sausage, arugula, bell peppers, radishes, five spice tofu, and a sesame-soy vinaigrette.

Pan Roasted Pork Chop with Rosemary Chimichurri, Collard greens, and mashed potatoes

Enjoy!

3rd Attempt at Bread Baking

2011-03-20T22:27:00.000-07:00

I didn't document the first two, but they came out more like focaccia. This is my third attempt and it came out pretty good. Basically a rustic loaf made with AP flour, instant yeast, salt, and water. Baking is definitely different, but its really relaxing making your own bread.

Chicken-N-Beer

2011-03-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

So when I'm lazy, and alone cooking for myself, I automatically think of a simple formula, pan roast meat, vegetables roasted in the same pan, and some kind of flavorful sauce or liquid to bring it all together. This works great with beer. And since I'm starting to get into the whole craft beer scene, this dish uses things I have on hand (And most college students should have half of this dish on hand...). Basically oven safe pan+chicken+mushrooms+beer= 20 minute meal. Sometimes I just eat it out of pan. Best part is: only one pan to clean up.
Recipe:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast (Here I had it in a brine for a day or so, brine consisted of garlic, fresno chilis, soy sauce, ginger, salt, and water)
Half a small red onion
Couple handfuls of mushrooms (Here I used cremini, shitake, and king oyster)
Beer (I used a 21st Amendment "Fireside Chat", it was on clearance at my local liquor store, it was okay.)
Optional: steamed green beans

1) Pre-heat oven to 400ish (my oven runs a little cold, so I set mine to 450). Heat a pan until very hot. Sear chicken breast for about 3 minutes, or until well browned. Flip and scatter mushrooms and onion around the chicken. Pour about 6 oz of beer into the pan and stick into the oven for 12 -16 minutes.
2) Once chicken is cooked, remove from oven and let rest. Reduce the beer until a sauce like. To serve, place a base of mushrooms, then chicken on top, then top with sauce and more mushrooms, green beans add more vegetables and bulk to the dish.

Easy concept that you could apply to steak, pork chops, pretty much any tender cut of meat.

Sorry for the delays...

2011-02-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

Its been a little hectic the past few weeks with the new semester, but hopefully I should have some new posts up by this weekend for all you people (I hope there are people...) reading this. Thanks for your patience!
Thomas

17) Braised Pork Belly with Sautéed Cabbage (Bacon?)

2011-02-02T22:08:00.000-08:00

Bacon seems to be everywhere nowadays. Baconators at Wendy’s. Bacon scented candles. Epic Meal Time on Youtube (“add bacon strips, add bacon strips”). And that’s all good and well. But being bacon is like being Robin to the proverbial Batman. Even though bacon may be famous, it still second fiddle. Bacon on top of burgers, bacon wrapped steaks, bacon bits on salads. Bacon is often not the star of the show. That’s where pork belly comes in.

Farmers do not raise walking strips of bacon. Bacon is most often made from the belly of the pig, the most fatty, unctuous part. Most pork belly consumed in America is in the form of bacon. However, pork belly can be cooked in other ways and with just as delicious results as bacon. Pork belly is basically 50% fat (or more), and although some of it cooks out, it is a decadent dish best reserved for special occasions.

This is the first time I’ve actually cooked pork belly. My mom bought it for a Chinese New Year’s dish, but ended up not using it. So I took this as an opportunity to try cooking it. Also, since this is my first recipe outside of my class, I thought it would be fun to parallel it to my first recipe in this blog, “Sautéed Greens” (Recipe Here). So this pork belly is served with sautéed cabbage, its astringency helps cut through the fat.

Braised Pork Belly with Sautéed Cabbage

Pork Belly:

· 1.5 lbs Pork Belly, skin removed (try to get the leanest belly possible)

· 1 Rosemary sprig

· Juice of two oranges

· ¼ cup of soy sauce

· ¼ cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)

· Salt and pepper

· 1/3 cup brown sugar

Cabbage:

· Half head of green cabbage, shredded

· 6 cloves of garlic

· 8 oz fresh shitake mushrooms

· Half sprig rosemary

· Juice and zest of one lemon

· 2 Tbsp capers

· 2 Tbsp soy sauce

· 2 Tbsp Shaoxing wine

· 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

· Salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

o Note: Liquid measurements are approximate, more may be needed

1. Place the pork belly into an oven safe pan. Mix the rest of the ingredients, except the brown sugar, and pour over the belly. Roast in a 250 degree oven for 2 hours.

2. After 2 hours, remove the belly and raise the heat to 400 degrees. Mix some of the juices in the pan with the brown sugar and glaze the pork belly. Place back into the oven and glaze the pork belly every few minutes until a brown crust forms. Remove from oven and keep warm.

3. Take the leftover juices in the pan and separate the fat from it (pour in a tall cup and wait for the fat to float to the top. Carefully spoon out all the fat that rises). Add the juices to a pan and reduce until a thick glaze.

4. Add some oil to a pan and sauté the garlic. Add the mushrooms and rosemary and cook. Add the liquid ingredients and cook. Once the mushrooms are soft, add the cabbage and cook for a few minutes. Add capers and lemon zest. The cabbage should still have some crunch when cooked.

5. To plate, place cabbage on a plate. Using a sharp knife, slice the belly into roughly ½ inch slices (the belly will slice cleaner if you chill it first and then slice it, but this involves reheating the belly). Place two slices of belly on the cabbage and drizzle with reduced pan juices. Serves 6 with extra pork belly.

This dish came out extraordinarily well. It is very rich and indulgent, but it’s good. The cabbage really helps cutting the fat of the belly. I didn’t know how to cook belly so I just threw it into the oven, however, I looked up some recipes on Youtube, and this seemed like a common technique. The ingredients are both Asian and Italian, but the end result is very modern American in flavor.

Reflections on Science and Cooking

2011-02-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

Cooking. It’s simple right? You take food, apply some heat, and end up with something that is (hopefully) edible. It’s all just guessing: a little bit of this, a touch of that, and pinch of mystery-essence-bottled-allpurpose-celebrity-chef seasoning. That’s all you need for to cook right? Wrong. While on the surface cooking may look like a simple process, on the scientific level there is much more going on.

For January Term I took a class entitled “The Science of Cooking.” This class is aimed at explaining why cooks do the things they do. Often these explanations are counter to conventional wisdom on the same subject. Take for example the simple grilled steak. Modern wisdom tells us that we sear a steak to lock in the juices. By using high heat we are somehow able to block the escape of liquid from the interior of the steak. Unfortunately, this idea is merely a myth touted by countless cooking shows. Searing has actually been shown as resulting in greater moisture loss when compared to other forms of cooking. But you wouldn’t want to eat a boiled steak would you? Although searing doesn’t lock in the juices, it does contribute something essential to good food: flavor. The high heat of searing allows for two reactions to take place: caramelizaton (the oxidation of sugar) and the Maillard reaction (which is an interaction between amino acids and sugar). The most obvious part of this reaction is the creation of a beautiful brown crust. Not so obvious is the by-product of this process: the creation of new flavor compounds. The creation of these compounds is the main reason for searing.

At its core “The Science of Cooking” begs one simple question: Why? By applying the scientific method to cooking, we are learning not only what makes food taste good, but how can we make food taste better. Take for example the breakfast staple scrambled eggs. A no brainer. Mix them up, throw them in a pan, cook as fast as possible. The result is a dry, gray, cakey mess of coiled proteins. Now tweak the process slightly: mix up the eggs, throw them in a pan, cook on lowest heat possible. A gentle heat will result in smaller curd formation in the eggs. Smaller curds mean a creamier scrambled egg, and a creamier scrambled egg is a better one.

Every student in the class kept a blog of all their culinary “experiments.” This chronicled our many successes… but also our failures. Some of the class tried making yogurt. The process is pretty simple: warm some milk, add a spoonful of yogurt, and keep warm for 4-7 hours. The bacteria ferment the milk giving it the tang and curds found in yogurt, at least that’s what supposed to happen. In practice, the process turns out to be more finicky than it seems. The end result was more like yogurt flavored milk than actual yogurt. Here is where the scientific method comes in, if the experiment didn’t go according to plan, simply re-do it and tweak one of the variables. By attempting multiple trials, we can gain insight into what went wrong with the process (it turns out the milk wasn’t kept at a warm enough temperature).

The culinary world is deeply rooted in art, in creativity. Science is not at odds with art, or with food. Science is merely a different lens from which we may look at food. By looking though this lens we can not only better appreciate our world’s culinary traditions, but also innovate and move those traditions forward.

16) Truffles (Dessert Diary, Part 4)

2011-01-27T14:41:00.000-08:00

I) Part 4. Truffles. Originally they were supposed to be modeled after the mushrooms of the same name. Essentially they are supposed to look like clods of dirt. For some reason they have gotten a rap for being hard to make. And while they are a bit troublesome, they are not hard to make. Here is a simple recipe using ganache as the base and finishing with a coat of chocolate and nuts.

II) Truffles (taken directly from Alton Brown)

Materials:

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, and/or toasted coconut, for coating truffles
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Method:

Place the 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside.

Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the brandy. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Place the cocoa powder, nuts, and/or toasted coconut each in its own pie pan and set aside.

In the meantime, place the 8 ounces of chocolate into a medium mixing bowl which is sitting on top of a heating pad lined bowl, with the heating pad set to medium. Depending on the heating pad, you may need to adjust the heat up or down. Stirring the chocolate occasionally, test the temperature of the chocolate and continue heating until it reaches 90 to 92 degrees F; do not allow the chocolate to go above 94 degrees F. If you do, the coating will not have a nice snap to it when you bite into the chocolate. Once you have reached the optimal temperature, adjust the heat to maintain it.

Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Use powder-free vinyl or latex gloves, if desired.

Dip an ice cream scoop into the chocolate and turn upside down to remove excess chocolate. Place truffles 1 at time into the scoop and roll around until coated. Then place the truffle into the dish with either the cocoa powder, nuts or coconut. Move the truffle around to coat; leave truffle in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds before removing. In the meantime, continue placing the chocolate-coated truffles in the cocoa or other secondary coating. After 10 to 15 seconds, remove the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a cool dry place for at least 1 hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Truffles are best when served at room temperature.

III) Results and Discussion:

These were really easy to make, if messy. I left out the brandy, so the truffles were a bit less smooth. Next time I’ll either add the brandy or some other form of liquid to compensate. Overall really easy and really good. My first foray into chocolate!

IV) Sources:

"Chocolate Truffles Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network." Food Network - Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos. Web. 27 Jan. 2011. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-truffles-recipe/index.html

V) Pictures!

15) Earl Grey Panna Cotta (Dessert Diary, Part 3)

2011-01-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

I) Panna Cotta, literally means “cooked cream” in Italian. Although the cream is barely cooked, Panna cotta is best described as a cream gelatin. Which is better than it sounds. Here I take the basic recipe from Alton Brown, and flavor it with Earl Grey tea.

II) Earl Grey Panna Cotta

Materials:

· 3 12-ounce cans of evaporated milk

· 1 ounce of unflavored gelatin

· 1.5 cups heavy cream

· 5 ounces of sugar

· 1 tsp salt

· ¼ cup loose leaf earl grey tea (or 4 tea bags)

Method:

1) Bloom the gelatin in 1 can of evaporated milk for 5 minutes.

2) Combine the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow the tea to steep in the mixture.

3) While the mixture is still warm, pour over gelatin mixture and mix thoroughly. Cool to room temperature, then pour into ramekins or other molds.

4) Chill overnight. Serve with a spoonful of whipped cream and a few dry tea leaves for garnish.

III) Results and Discussion

The flavor came out great. The tea was pronounced without being bitter (thanks to the sugar and cream tempering the flavor of bitter). However, I think Alton Brown’s recipe either uses too much gelatin or not enough cream. I like panna cotta to have a smoother texture, and this was more gelatinous. However, the result isn't bad, it could just be better.

IV) Sources:

Brown, Alton. Good Eats: the Early Years. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2009. 259. Print.

V) Pictures!

14) Lemon Sherbet (Dessert Diary, Part 2)

2011-01-27T14:19:00.001-08:00

I) Dessert with lemons part 2. Lemon Sherbet. I love Ice Cream. I can’t afford an ice cream maker. Ah, first world problems. Here’s a way to make a frozen dessert, while no substitute for real ice cream, is tasty in its own right. Sherbet is basically a sorbet with a touch of cream. Since you don’t have the constant agitation of an ice cream machine, this method requires a bit more sugar than necessary. The sugar helps to keep the ice crystals small, enhancing the texture of the sherbet.

II) Lemon Sherbet

Materials:

· 1 cup sugar

· 1 cup water

· 1 cup lemon juice

· Zest of 1 lemon

· ¼ cup cream

Method:

1) Pre-freeze a shallow baking dish. Melt sugar and water together. Cool to room temperature

2) Add lemon juice, zest, and cream. Pour mix into the frozen baking dish. Place the dish in the freezer.

3) Scrape the ice crystals every hour for the next 4 hours, fluffing up the crystals. Serve

III) Results and Discussion

I read this recipe in a Jamie Oliver cookbook. And although I liked some of his old cooking shows, this recipe doesn’t seem to make “Sherbet.” It turns out more like a cross between a granita and a sorbet (a granita is basically shaved ice). Although he adds mascarpone cheese instead of cream, he only adds one tablespoon, hardly enough to make much of a difference in my mind, but maybe that’s why mine came out more icy. I’ll be sure to try this again with mascarpone.

IV) Sources

Oliver, Jamie, David Loftus, and Chris Terry. Jamie's Italy. New York: Hyperion, 2006. 299. Print.

V) Pictures!

13) Lemon Bars (Dessert Diary, Part 1)

2011-01-27T13:59:00.000-08:00

I) Here we chronicle my adventures in dessert making (the blueberry cobbler should be in this series…but I forgot to put it there…so we’ll just call that pre-dessert period). I have a lemon tree in my backyard. So I decided to try and make lemon bars. Here’s Thomas Keller’s version, it seems lighter and creamier than other versions. It’s also frozen, which is an interesting departure.

II) Lemon Bars

Materials:

Crust

· 10.5 tablespoons of butter

· ¼ plus 1 tablespoon sugar

· ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

· 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

Filling

· 1 cup lemon juice

· 6 large eggs

· 6 egg yolks

· 1 ¼ cups sugar

· 9 tablespoons butter broken into pieces at room temperature

Method:

1) Cream sugar and butter. Combine vanilla and flour. The dough should be crumbly. Wrap in parchment paper and chill in fridge for at least half an hour or a day in advance.

2) Combine lemon juice, eggs, yolks, and sugar in a double boiler. Whisk until thickened (about 5 minutes). Take off heat and whisk in butter piece by piece.

3) Push crust into baking dish. And bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool to room temperature.

4) Strain filling into crust and freeze for at least an hour. Slice and serve.

III) Results and Discussion

I haven’t eaten many lemon bars, but I found these ones enjoyable. They seem to be creamier and softer than most other ones I’ve had.

IV) Sources:

Keller, Thomas, Dave Cruz, Susie Heller, Michael Ruhlman, and Amy Vogler. Ad Hoc at Home. New York: Artisan, 2009. 304. Print.

V) Pictures!

12) White Chicken Stock (An Easy Investment)

2011-01-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

I) This may be boring. Although I find it unbelievably interesting and complex, I will be the first to admit that it doesn’t seem like the most interesting thing in the world. What are we talking about? Stocks. No not those stocks. Chicken, beef, veal, vegetable, fish. The building blocks of western cuisine (not to mention the base of many noodle soups). What is a stock? It’s basically water flavored with bones and aromatics. The water acts as a solvent, drawing out all the molecules from the bones and vegetables. It also breaks down the proteins, such as collagen, which give the water a richer consistency. Stocks are the building blocks of many sauces and not to mention the core of my favorite soup, Pho.

II) White Chicken Stock

Materials:

· Bones

· Vegetables (celery, onion, and carrots is traditional)

· Enough cold water to cover

· Time

Method:

1) Add bones and chopped vegetables to a pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and lower to bare simmer. Simmer for 4-5 hours for maximum extraction. Skim any foam that forms and discard. Strain and use within 2 days or freeze into ice cubes.

III) Results and Discussion

The stock came out perfectly. I’ve never actually made a stock for the sake of stock making. I have made a stock but always in the process to make a soup (Vietnamese soups), but never as a standalone process.

IV) Sources:

None

V) Pictures!

11) Blueberry Cobbler (Cobble dessert together)

2011-01-27T13:18:00.000-08:00

I) Here we have blueberry cobbler. A cobbler is basically fruit roasted in the oven with a cake topping. The cake batter is a basic batter using both baking soda and powder for the lift and rise in the batter. Additionally, the recipe calls for buttermilk, which I didn’t have. However, the acidity in the buttermilk interacts with the baking powder, so without the acidity the cake will be missing something. To make buttermilk substitute, add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Use as needed.

II) Blueberry Cobbler

Materials:

Topping:

· 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

· ½ teaspoon baking powder

· ½ teaspoon baking soda

· 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature

· ¾ cup sugar

· 2 large eggs

· ½ cup buttermilk

Filling:

· 4 pints blueberries

· ¼ cup sugar

· 2 tablespoons flour

· 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Method:

1) Cream butter with sugar for topping. Add eggs and incorporate until smooth paste. Sift all the dry ingredients together. Working in batches alternate between adding dry goods and adding buttermilk in 3 batches. Blend until incorporated.

2) In a baking dish mix all ingredients for filling. Spoon the batter out over the filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until a skewer stuck in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm.

III) Results and Discussion

This recipe is just a method. You could replace the blueberries with any fruit that is fresh. This works great with peaches. Having a simple cobbler in your repertoire allows you to make a dessert that is as much about the fruit as it is about the cake.

IV) Sources:

Keller, Thomas, Dave Cruz, Susie Heller, Michael Ruhlman, and Amy Vogler. Ad Hoc at Home. New York: Artisan, 2009. 296. Print.

V) Pictures!

10) Meatballs and Orzo (Italian by way of Saigon)

2011-01-27T12:50:00.000-08:00

I) Cooking should happen organically. I’m not ranting about pesticides and range-roving-vegetarian-fed-heirloom-chickens. I’m talking about the process of cooking. The process should be natural. It should make sense and ideas should follow logically from somewhere. All good food should be inspired, that is, it should have a starting point that set the ball rolling that made someone think of this dish, that these flavors and textures would go together and taste better than they would separately. This dish is a product of such a process. Meatballs with Orzo. Sounds pseudo-Italian. Maybe neo-Greek. Actually it’s Vietnamese. Kinda.

Meatballs seem to have become trendy within recent memory. The food columns in magazines ranging from GQ to Men’s Health to Food and Wine have all covered meatballs. And with good reason. They’re delicious. They’re versatile. And they’re relatively inexpensive. These meatballs look like normal tomato sauce American-Italian meatballs. But they’re actually inspired by Vietnamese beef stew, with flavors of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, and cardamom. The orzo balances the meatballs with lemon and jalapenos (very Vietnamese-American ingredients). Add in some mizuna or arugula for pepperyness and color. And there it is, meatballs, or my take on meatballs.

II) Meatballs with Orzo

Materials:

· 1.5 pound ground beef

· Various spices

· 1 egg

· ½ cup breadcrumbs

· Tomato Sauce (here I used one cooked with the same spices used in the meatballs)

· 1 package orzo pasta

· ½ cup Greek Yogurt

· Lemon juice and zest

· A couple jalapenos

· Chopped parsley and cilantro

· Mizuno or arugula

Method:

1) Combine beef, spices, egg, and breadcrumbs. Do not over mix. Form into balls using as little force as possible. I like my meatballs to be light instead of overly dense.

2) Place uncooked meatballs in a baking dish and cover with tomato sauce. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

3) Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and mix with lemon juice, zest, yogurt, chopped jalapenos and the herbs. To serve, spoon orzo on a plate top with meatballs and mizuno.

III) Results and Discussion

This dish came out surprisingly nicely. It tasted like my mom’s beef stew, but in a completely different context.

IV) Sources:

None

V) Pictures!

(Unfortunately most pictures got lost in a fire. Or something like that.)

9) Flambe Pineapple with Miso Caramel (The importance of tasting)

2011-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

I) I don’t really do pastry much. That is not to say I don’t like pastry, or that I don’t enjoy making them. What it really says is that I prefer cooking to baking. Maybe out of laziness, or absentmindedness, or good old fashioned inexperience, I generally avoid sweet things. But once in a while I do want to make dessert. And rather than deal with all that pesky weighing and measuring, I make flambé fruit with ice cream. But that can get boring after the first few times. Hence the idea of a miso caramel. Soybeans are in the same family as the peanut, so it makes sense on that level. This sauce has a salty-sweet thing going for it. Normally you caramelize white sugar to make the sauce, but a good shortcut that is used in fancy restaurants in brown sugar which already has the nuttiness of caramelized sugar without any of the waiting.

II) Flambé Pineapples with Miso-Caramel Sauce

Materials:

· Half a pineapple, sliced

· 1/3 cup brown sugar

· 3 tablespoons butter

· 1.5 tablespoons miso

· Couple splashes of brandy (or rum, or any hard booze)

· Vanilla ice cream for serving

· lighter

Method:

1) Melt butter in a pan over medium and dissolve miso in it. Add brown sugar and melt. Add pineapple and sauté for a few minutes.

2) Remove pan from heat, and add brandy. Light brandy careful not to burn the house down. Flambé until alcohol is cooked off (this part isn’t necessary, but looks pretty damn cool.)

3) Place the pan back on the heat for a couple minutes to thicken the sauce. Spoon into bowls with ice cream and serve immediately. Serves 4

III) Results and Discussion

I learned a lot about tasting while I was making this. Rather I learned to taste constantly. The dish came out okay. The pineapples were sour. I didn’t even think to try the pineapple before I cooked it, if I did I would have realized how unripe they were. I would have compensated by adding more sugar. But that little mistake, not taking a bite of the fruit, caused the whole dish to be out of balance, to just taste okay.

IV) Sources:

Miso idea inspired by Miso Butterscotch recipe in Momofuku

Chang, David, and Peter Meehan. Momofuku. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2009. Print

V) Pictures!

8) Butternut Gnocchi (Giada eat your heart out!)

2011-01-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

I) Gnocchi are potato dumplings that are generally thought to be hard to make. That’s why Italian restaurants can get away with charging $15 for mashed potatoes mixed with flour. But gnocchi are really not that hard. All they require is some patience and a little restraint.

The problem with writing a recipe for gnocchi is that water content will vary from potato to potato. This presents many problems since you may need to use more or less potatoes or more or less flour. Making gnocchi requires confidence and absolute understanding of what you are doing. I have neither of these things.

II) Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage and Brown Butter

Materials: (I’m hesitant to give an actual recipe… there are many different variables that may change the quantity of an ingredient. Adjust as you see necessary; don’t be afraid to deviate from the recipe)

· 2 large russet potatoes (about 10 ounces cooked)

· 1 small butternut squash (about 20 ounces cooked)

· 1 egg

· Flour (start at 1.5 cups and check the texture, you’ll probably need more…)

· Nutmeg and salt to taste

For Brown Butter:

· 1 bunch sage leaves

· Butter (as much as you want)

· Parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Bake the potatoes and squash (halved and de-seeded) at 350 degrees until soft, about an hour. While still warm, remove the meat of the potatoes and squash and mash. Add the egg, nutmeg, and salt. Slowly incorporate the flour. Add enough flour so that the dough comes together. The dough will be able to hold its shape, while still soft. Try not to overwork the dough as this will lead to tough gnocchi.

2. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface and form into ropes. Cut the ropes into small lumps. Size doesn’t need to be exact. Place cut gnocchi onto a floured sheet pan and store until ready to cook.

3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, reduce to a simmer (I feel that a gentler simmer helps to keep the gnocchi intact). Add the gnocchi, taking care not to overcrowd the pot. Once the gnocchi float, they’re done. Shock the gnocchi in an ice bath to stop cooking and transfer to a bowl for holding (a coat of oil will prevent them from sticking to each other and from drying out).

4. Melt the butter in a separate pan and lightly brown over medium heat. Add the sage and fry them to release their flavor into the butter. Add a cup or so of the gnocchi and fry them in the butter until warmed through. Transfer to a plate and garnish with parmesan.

III) Results and Discussion

Gnocchi was surprisingly easy and came out great. The butternut squash adds a subtle sweetness that is pleasant against the brown butter. The nutmeg is crucial; it adds a spice not unlike that in pumpkin pie. This recipe tested my troubleshooting skills, since the moisture content will vary among vegetables, the amount of flour you will need will vary.

IV) Sources:

Brown, Alton. Good Eats: the Early Years. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2009. 304. Print.

V) Pictures!

7) Brussels with Kimchi (Making Vegetables Fun Again)

2011-01-25T01:03:00.000-08:00

I) I like Brussels sprouts. They’re basically little cabbages. I think most people grow to hate them because a) their parents cooked them to death and b) they get no love from mainstream media. Well here it is, Brussels getting the attention they deserve.

II) Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi and Bacon (taken directly from the Momofuku Cookbook)

Materials:

· 1 pound Brussels sprouts

· ¼ pound bacon, cut into lardons

· 1 cup kimchi

· 1 cup julienned carrot

Methods:

I) Crisp the bacon in an oven safe pan. Reserve the bacon for topping. Halve the Brussels sprouts to the pan with the remaining bacon fat. Put the pan into a 400 degree oven and roast the sprouts until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Once done set aside.

II) Puree the kimchi into a smooth paste.

III) To serve, smear kimchi onto the bottom of the plate and top with a pile of the Brussels. Scatter the bacon and carrots on top of the sprouts. Serves 4

III) Results and Discussion:

I’m always looking for different ways to make Brussels sprouts interesting. Since Brussels are basically just small cabbages, adding the flavor of kimchi makes a lot of sense. Bacon goes great with everything so that’s a no brainer. Plus, David Chang, the chef/owner of the Momofuku restaurants, is a badass. This recipe is an easy and approachable entry to his cookbook.

IV) Sources:

Chang, David, and Peter Meehan. Momofuku. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2009. 94. Print.

V) Pictures!

6) Seared Tuna (More like...Steak of the Sea)

2011-01-24T23:12:00.000-08:00

I) I love sushi. Although the word “sushi” actually refers to the rice not the raw fish, I am talking about the western idea of sushi. The slices of raw fish on rice with some green colored horseradish on the side. I especially like Tuna. It’s so meaty it’s almost like a steak. Just like a steak it should be served no more cooked than medium rare. Like a steak it should be seared on high heat as to form a crust. A quick marinade helps to accentuate the sweetness of the tuna.

II) Seared Tuna

Materials:

· ½ cup soy sauce

· 1/3 cup sugar

· 1/3 cup Gojuchang

· 2 pounds tuna loin

· 1 head of Bibb lettuce

Methods:

I) Combine first 3 ingredients and mix well. Reserve ¼ cup for dipping. Marinate the tuna in the sauce for 1-4 hours.

II) Remove the tuna and pat dry. Heat a cast iron pan (or a grill) to as hot as possible. Sear the tuna on the first side for 1 minute, flip and sear for 1 minute. Remove from pan and let rest.

III) Slice the tuna across the grain, the same way you would a steak. Serve with reserved sauce and lettuce.

III) Results and Discussion:

This recipe was adapted from a recipe by Alton Brown. He used a crust of sesame seeds (which I really like, but I ran out of sesame seeds) and wasabi. I decided to use the gojuchang, which is a fermented spicy chili paste. This worked and added a Korean twist to a Japanese dish. I served the tuna in a lettuce wrap, much like a ssam Korean wrap. I wanted to add peanuts or pickled veggies, but I decided to let the fish shine alone.

IV) Sources:

Brown, Alton. "Chimney Tuna Loin Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network." Web. 25 Jan.

2011. .

V) Pictures!

5) Steak and Peas (Don't make a mis-steak)

2011-01-24T22:54:00.000-08:00

I) There’s something about a long, busy day that makes me want to eat a steak. Maybe it taps into some primal need from when us men would hunt animals as our job, and after a long day would hunch in our loin cloths by the fire cooking slabs of dead something on sticks over the fire. Or maybe because it’s easy to make.

Cooking a steak isn’t very hard. Although we’ll shell out $40 per person for a good steak at a fancy steakhouse, you’re really paying for the high quality beef. Any properly trained primate can cook a steak. I’m not monkeying around (haha…).

Anyways, to cook a perfect steak multiple forms of energy must be used. If you try cooking the steak all on the stove (using conduction primarily) the heat will penetrate the meat from the bottom up at all times. Although this method will ensure a nice crust, you will be left with a thick section of overcooked meat surrounding a tiny center of medium-rare-perfection.

You could use convection heat. Just throw that steak in the oven. However, this method of pure convection leaves a rather gray slab of meat, unappetizing to look at and never really developing those deep, umami flavors (the all important maillard reaction wouldn’t really occur in the ten minutes it takes to cook the steak).

The answer to our problem? Use both!

II) Steak and Peas

Materials:

For the Steak:

· Any good quality steak

· Salt and Pepper

· Oven safe pan

For the Peas:

· 1 bag frozen peas

· Juice and zest of lemon to taste

· Parmesan cheese to taste

· Salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat an oven safe pan on high until you can only hold your hand above it for a second or so (basically until it’s really hot…). Take the meat out and let it come up to room temperature, allowing the meat to warm to room temperature will ensure even cooking. Salt and pepper the steak liberally. Put in pan and sear on first side for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Flip steak and put into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. This will give you about a medium rare steak, but your steak may be thinner or thicker than mine so adjust as necessary.

2. Once the steak has cooked, remove to a pan and cover with foil. Let the meat rest for a few minutes, this allows for the muscle to cool and for the juices to redistribute in the muscle.

3. Add the pan back on the heat with any leftover drippings and burnt pieces intact. Add the peas to this (here we’re using the drippings as the fat for the peas). Sauté until cooked to your liking. Finish with cheese and lemon.

4. To plate, lay a mound of peas on the bottom of the plate, top with slices of steak, and finish with additional cheese and lemon zest.

III) Results and Discussion

I enjoyed the brightness the peas and lemon brought to the dish, compensating for the richness of the steak. The peas are really just a side and can be switched out with anything. An Asian version might be interesting. Steak marinated in soy, hoisin, and peppers with a broccoli side (maybe with pinenuts or pangrattato), inspired by broccoli beef.

IV) Sources:

None

V) Pictures!

4) Chicken and Polenta (The Gritty Streets of Moraga)

2011-01-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

I) Woke up this morning. Hungry. Stumbled out of my room and to the kitchen. Bust open the fridge, my thought process: “Okay I got that chicken breast, some leftover thyme, that sounds good. Last zucchini, gotta use that. Half a red onion. Some butter. Need a carb, polenta would work here.” And, that is how this dish came to be. It’s really just a way to use leftover vegetables and meat and extend it with the polenta, making everything seem fresh by liberal use of herbs and lemon. Science Applications: The corn meal granules will become saturated by the milk as it cooks, absorbing all four cups of milk into the one cup of cornmeal. Both conduction and convection are being used since the ingredients both come in contact with the pan, and are cooked in a liquid (in this case either oil or milk).

II) Chicken Breast with Thyme and Lemon, Lemon Polenta, and Sauteed Zucchini

Materials:

For the Chicken:

· 2 boneless skinless chicken breast, butterflied

· Zest of 2 lemons

· Lemon thyme (can substitute thyme, oregano, or any other herb really)

· Salt and pepper

For the Polenta:

· 1 cup coarse corn meal

· 4 cups milk

· Lemon juice to taste (I used about 4 lemons, but they were sweet lemons)

· 3 Tablespoons butter

· Salt and pepper

For Zucchini:

· 1 large zucchini (or 2 small ones) cut into batons

· Half a large red onion

· Salt and pepper

Method:

I) Heat the milk until simmering (do this gently, or you’ll scorch the milk). Once hot, slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Allow to cook on low heat, whisking often, until the polenta is thick, this should take 25 minutes. The polenta should be smooth in the mouth, without much grittiness. Once cooked season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk in the butter.

II) Heat a pan on high for the chicken. Cover the chicken in salt, pepper, thyme, and lemon zest. Add a thin layer of oil to the pan and sauté the chicken until cooked through. Work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan (overcrowding the pan will make the chicken steam rather than sauté, since water boils at 212 F, which is about 150 degrees short of achieving Maillard reactions. The Maillard reaction is what browns meat, giving it a rich umami flavor.). Set chicken aside to rest.

III) Heat a pan and add a thin layer of oil. Sauté the onions until light brown. Add the zucchini and cook. The cooked zucchini should be soft but with some texture left. Don’t overcook.

IV) To plate ladle the polenta on the bottom. Place the vegetables off to the side, but still slightly on the polenta. And top the whole thing with a piece of chicken. Serves 4.

III) Results and Discussion

Overall a success. The polenta soaked up a little more than four cups of milk, so I just added more as a saw fit (not exactly sure how much, just add it as you see fit). The lemon really helps to make this whole dish feel light, even though the polenta is very creamy. Polenta looks fancy, but is really simple to make. Next time I’d like to make extra polenta and use it to make polenta cakes.

IV) Sources:

a. Keller, Thomas, Dave Cruz, Susie Heller, Michael Ruhlman, and Amy Vogler. Ad Hoc at Home. New York: Artisan, 2009. 27. Print.

b. The back of the Cornmeal container and Alton Brown.

V) Pictures!