CRISPY Parboiled Baked Chicken Wings(I)... with Korean Sauce and Bonus Chicken Stock.

Crispy Parboiled Baked Chicken Wings... with Korean Sauce and Bonus Chicken Stock. Because I don't buy ready made chicken stock, I'm always on the "alert" when it comes to meat bones. I try not to toss them out when I'm de-boning. Funny thing is that sometimes I buy bone-in meat, just for the sole purpose of using the bones to have homemade chicken stock on hand. 

Now the other day, I was really craving some wings.... mainly because I had seen a recipe for a Korean sauce that I wanted to make. I thought it would be good to glaze the chicken wings with a different sort of sauce... something outside the usual hot sauce or BBQ sauce I tend to glaze the wings with. In any case, I ended up buying some wings to bake.

I love baking the wings and always skip the frying. But some time ago I had come across Alton Brown's steaming method... a method that promised crispy wings without frying.  I was willing to give it a go. It would be worth a try... 

But as I was fiddling around trying to find something to steam the wings in, I thought, why not parboil the wings instead. It'd be much simpler ... and this way I could make use of the flavorful liquid to make a stock. Oh, and I'd use up those little wing tips to their full potential, because I sure didn't want to throw them away:)!  Plus, I'd also use up those bits and pieces of vegetables I had sitting in the fridge. And that's what I ended up doing. Sort of went my own way with the recipe:)...

These parboiled wings tend to be a bit more drier than normal ... just because most of the fat is rendered in the boiling and baking process. However, they do have a nice crisp exterior. The Korean red pepper sauce worked wonderfully well with the wings. I lightly coated the wings, but it gave them the needed moisture as well as imparting a ton of flavor. A little bit of spice...  a little bit of sweet. 

My husband loved these wings, so I'm planning on making them again this way ... especially since I get the bonus chicken stock in the process. Always, always good to have some homemade chicken stock on hand. 

I made 2 versions of baked crispy wings. This was part 1....next time I'll share the second method. Hope you enjoy...

Note: The Korean red pepper sauce is so versatile... use it in all sorts of stir-fries or add it to ground meat for lettuce wraps, glaze meatballs, etc. 

Since I had some leftover sauce, I ended up using it as a stir-fry sauce for vegetables... it worked wonderfully well with the snap peas and zucchini I picked from my garden, but you can use other veggies of choice. 

You will need:

26 whole wings(about 3lbs), separated in 3 pieces( flats, drumettes, wing tips)

1 TBS kosher salt

1 large garlic clove, sliced

6 cups water

Bonus Chicken Stock

parboiled liquid from above

parboiled wing tips only

1/2 parsnip

1 large carrot

1-2 ribs of celery

1 small onion

1 cup extra water

Korean Gochujang Sauce adapted from Maanghci

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 TBS oil

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown rice syrup(now, I haven't used honey, but it should work)

1/4 cup hot pepper paste(gochujang)

1 TBS cider apple vinegar

toasted sesame seeds

Other Sauce of Choice

BBQ sauce 

Hot sauce 

Honey mustard

Directions:

Parboil Chicken Wings:

1. In a large soup pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.

2. Add all wing pieces, sliced garlic and salt.

 

3. Boil chicken wings for about 7 minutes, stirring them every so often and skimming off the scum.  

4. Remove pot from heat and with a slotted spoon remove wings (flats and drumettes) unto a plate... leaving behind the stock and small wing tips.

5. Arrange wings on plate in a single layer and allow to cool. You can blot them from excess water and bake right away... or you can place them in the fridge uncovered for several hours(which is what I did).  

Make Bonus Chicken Stock:

1. To the pot with the chicken liquid and wing tips, add the cut up vegetables, 1 cup water and heat to a boil. 2. Lower heat to a simmer and cover pot. 

3. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain vegetables. 

4. Place stock in small containers and freeze for later use... or use in recipe of choice.  

Make Korean Sauce:

1. To make sauce, add oil and garlic to a medium skillet and cook till garlic is lightly golden.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix to combine  and continue to cook on low until sauce is thickened....3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to use for glazing wings. You can do this while the chicken wings bake.  

Bake Chicken Wings and Glaze:

• Preheat oven to 425 Deg F

1. While oven is preheating take wings out from fridge.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly oil parchment paper.

3. Place wings in a single layer, skin side up unto parchment paper lined baking sheet.

4. Place baking sheet on top 1/3 rack and bake for 20-25 minutes.

5. Turn wings over and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until nicely golden and crispy. 

NOTE: Baking time varies depending on size of wings, so adjust accordingly. 

6. Remove from oven and glaze with sauce of choice. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if using the Korean sauce. 

Tip: If you have any leftover sauce, you can easily stir-fry a few veggies with a TBS of oil for a couple of minutes and add in a heaping TBS of the Korean red pepper sauce to coat. For the veggies I used 1/4 of an onion, a couple handfuls of  flat snap peas and 1 medium zucchini.

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Poached Salmon(or Halibut)... with horseradish dill sauce.

Poached Salmon(or Halibut)... with horseradish dill sauce. Sometimes the simplest of recipes are the tastiest. Have you ever poached fish? If you haven't, oh, you must! Well, ok, you should consider it:)... because poaching fish, salmon especially, has got to be one of the easiest cooking methods.  Poaching the fish yields a moist, flaky fish, and as a plus, this method doesn't make the house smell. That's right, no fishy odor. It's the perfect dish for when you have company.

While you can poach fish using a variety of ways, I rather like the equal parts of wine and water. You can certainly poach the fish in a broth of sorts, even water will do. If you want to go the more luxurious route, try poaching the fish in melted butter.  

But with all these poaching  methods, adding herbs and seasonings will enhance the flavor of the fish minimally, with a subtle flavor... letting the fish shine. I chose to add a few slices of lime to my poaching liquid. However, I noticed the slices of lime can give the liquid a bitter sort of taste, so if you want to use the poaching liquid(to further reduce for a sauce), you might want to use the juice only. The bitter taste however does not translate into the fish. Of course, you could also use lemon slices. 

To extend the use of the poaching liquid, I've managed to poach eggs in it... makes me feel better that I'm not letting the flavorful liquid go to waste completely. And then I also have some poached eggs:)...

I've included a horseradish dill sauce... made with sour cream. You could use Greek yoghurt, but I rather like it with the sour cream, as it's a bit more mellow and not as tangy. You could of course do a mix of yoghurt and sour cream....  or even add a bit of mayonnaise to round up the flavors. If you don't care for horseradish, you could add a bit of grated cucumber(tzatziki style), though the horseradish isn't very strong in flavor, it's quite muted really. 

Brining the fish for 30 minutes does wonders to fish. It simply wakes it up! The salt penetrates the fish to give you maximum  flavor...  and it also firms the flesh of the fish. I think brining comes in especially handy when using frozen fish. Gives the fish that "just caught" taste and texture.

I've listed the ingredient amounts for making 2 fish fillets(about 1 lb, a little less maybe)... but you can double or triple amounts if you want to make a  bigger quantity. The poached fish is excellent at room temperature, but it's equally great cold. So you can certainly make this for a light dinner or include it as a brunch item. Great for a crowd, with minimal work. Healthy, too. I LOVED the salmon... and my husband loved his halibut:). Hope you enjoy...

   

You will need:

Fish:

2 (6-8 oz) salmon fillet pieces, (I used 1 salmon and 1 halibut)

Brine:

2 cups water

2 TBS kosher salt

Poaching Liquid: enough for 2 pieces, maybe 3

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup water

few slices of onion, 

few sprigs of fresh dill

few lime/lemon slices (optional) 

Horseradish Sauce: enough for 2-3 fish pieces, can double

2/3 cup sour cream

2 TBS chopped fresh dill, lightly packed

3 tsps prepared horseradish

1 TBs olive oil

1/2 tsp onion powder

pinch of salt

lime/lemon juice, if desired

Extra:

lime/lemon slices

freshly cracked pepper 

Directions:

Brine Fish:

1. Combine brine ingredients(water and salt). Stir until salt is dissolved. Pour over fish, making sure fish is covered. Place in fridge for 30 minutes.   

Make Horseradish Sauce: Chop dill, leaves only, setting the stems aside.

1. In bowl, add sour cream, dill,and  horseradish. Whisk to combine.

2. Add olive oil and whisk to combine. Add dried onion powder and a pinch of salt. Whisk to combine and refrigerate until ready. If you like, you can add a bit of lime/lemon juice to taste.

Make Poaching Liquid: when ready to poach, remove fish from fridge and from brine.  

1. Mix water and wine. Set aside.

2. In a skillet, make a bed with dill, sliced onion, and lemon/ lime slices( if using)....

3. Pour wine mix over vegetables, and bring to a boil. Place fish fillets on top and cover. 

4. Lower heat to as simmer, and cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets. I cooked mine for 6 minutes. Just be careful  not to overcook.

5. Remove fish from poaching liquid. At this point, you can serve room temperature, or refrigerate until cold.

6. Top with horseradish sauce and a couple of turns of cracked fresh black pepper. Serve with lime or lemon wedges.   

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Spiced Lamb Burgers(sliders)... with yoghurt sauce and baby kale.

Spiced Lamb Burgers(sliders)... with yoghurt sauce and baby kale. Lately I've been enjoying baby kale salads like never before. Love the baby kale. SO much better in salads than the big leafy kind.  When I first bought a bag some time ago, I bought it mainly to see how different it tastes... and well, for the vitamins too:). But I was pleasantly surprised. The baby variety was much milder than the adult version and so delicious. Plus I love how well it keeps in the fridge. Most salads wilt before the week is over, but with the baby kale, I've managed to go much longer than that. And I also like how well it does even when lightly dressed with vinegar and olive oil... stands up quite well without going too limp. I personally like to massage the kale ever so slightly with a bit of olive oil before I add the vinegar and seasoning... but I'll only do that if I'm serving the salad right away, otherwise I won't bother. Massaging the kale works perfectly with the adult kale. In any case, we've really been enjoying kale salad quite a bit lately... with all sorts of additions.

But one day I happened to look in my fridge... was sort of doing an inventory. Wanted to make lunch that day and realized I had defrosted a small bag of lamb meat. Wondering how I was going to use the meat, I kept looking in the fridge for ideas.  I had a bit of feta cheese and yoghurt in my deli drawer and thought to combine those ingredients together. Then I immediately thought of making mini burgers with a twist. 

I normally prefer traditional burger toppings, but this time I had no lettuce on hand, no pickles and no fresh tomatoes. But I did have kale, some dried tomatoes, olives and onion. I figured I'd make a couple of sauces to go with the burgers... going the middle-eastern route. And even as I was seasoning the lamb and making the sauces, I quickly realized I had no bread. Didn't want to go buy any, so I used my tried and true version of rolls that I absolutely love... soft and pillowy.  Perfect for sliders. Yield is just right, as you'll have a few rolls to freeze for another time.  

The meal came together  rather quickly, considering I made the rolls as well:). The burgers were just delicious with the kale salad and different sauces. I loved both sauces, but preferred the feta and olive version a tad bit more.... my husband liked both. So here's a  different take on the classic hamburger. Hope you enjoy...       

Note: I added the egg to make the patties a bit softer, but if you are allergic to eggs, you can omit. Also, my meat was self-ground, so it could easily take an egg, but if you use store-bought, you may not need the egg. 

Tip: Feel free to use beef, turkey or a mix of meats instead of the lamb.

You will need:

Lamb burgers:

1 lb ground lamb

1/3 of a medium onion, grated

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

3/4 tsp hot smoky paprika(you could use sweet smoky paprika)

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 egg

1 tsp dried mint

Kale salad: to taste

kale

olive oil

apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

Directions: 

1. Grind meat, or use store-bought. I used a leg of lamb. Grind onion, or grate. Add to meat.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover and allow to sit in the fridge for an hour or more. This helps the meat mixture firm up a bit and intensify in flavor.

3. Form 9 patties (about 3 inch) and grease both sides with a bit of oil. The meat can be a bit soft, so be gentle. Place on a plastic wrapped plate or parchment-lined plate.

4. Preheat grill to med-high.

5. Cook patties 3-4 minutes on each side... or until cooked to preference. 

Make Kale Salad:

1. Simply add a bit of olive oil, massage the kale with your hands lightly until it softens a bit. Add some apple cider vinegar along with salt and pepper. This is all to taste...

Assemble:

1. Top bun with a handful of dressed kale, a lamb patty, and a dollop of yoghurt sauce.  Enjoy!

 Make sauces...  

Sundried Tomato Yoghurt Sauce

You will need:

6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine( I used the dry w/out oil)

1/4 tsp onion powder

6-8 TBS Greek yoghurt

2 TBS mayonnaise

salt and pepper, as needed 

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and allow to chill in fridge until ready to use. You may need to add a bit more yoghurt especially if you are using the dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil. The dried-only version tends to absorb the liquid from the yoghurt... makes the sauce thicker. So start out with 6 TBS yoghurt and adjust if needed.

   

Feta and Olive Yoghurt Sauce

You will need:
6 TBS Greek Yoghurt
2 TBS mayonnaise
3 TBS feta cheese, crumbled
2 TBS kalamata olives, chopped fine
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 TBS minced red onion
salt and pepper, as needed

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients, and chill in the fridge until ready to use.

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Smoked Paprika Roasted Chicken... with chickpeas, tomatoes and yoghurt sauce.

Smoked Paprika Roasted Chicken... with chickpeas, tomatoes and yoghurt sauce.  I'm always looking for a good chicken recipe...  one that's relatively easy and sort of different.  I recently came across this smoked paprika roasted chicken and immediately knew I was going to try it.... just because I'm always attracted to recipes that call for smoked paprika. And I really, really liked the idea of a yoghurt sauce. Truthfully, I loved all the ingredients:). The recipe sounded really good to me and I really so wanted to make it... ASAP. And  because of my impatience, my first try turned out a bit different than the recipe I'm sharing today.

When I first made the recipe, I used ingredients I had in the house... used chicken thighs instead of the bone-in chicken breast, used frozen peas instead of the chickpeas,  added some onion, and used campari tomatoes cut in wedges instead of the cherry tomatoes. Oh, and I used hot smoked paprika instead of regular... and skipped the crushed pepper flakes. I loved the recipe so much, that I wanted to make it again. And I did:)...

This time I made the dish a bit closer to the original recipe... the only  thing I changed was to add the onion, because I rather liked it the first time around, and decided to still use the hot smoked paprika. The thing is... I loved both versions! They were both such colorful dishes, even though they were slightly different. I think the frozen pea variation was a bit quicker, just because I didn't have to cook them beforehand, as I did with the chickpeas. I suppose if you use canned chickpeas, it would be just as quick. In any case, both versions were delicious. 

I think this recipe is a perfect dish to make when you have company. The flavors aren't overpowering at all, so most folks would probably enjoy it. Obviously, if you do not care for the cumin or cilantro, opt to skip them and maybe add some parsley instead.... or a bit of oregano, thyme, basil, etc. The dish is quite adaptable to a variety of ingredients... you could use any white bean for the chickpeas, or even omit them. Next time, I'm wanting to skip the beans and add some parboiled potato chunks.... or even some roasted diced potatoes during the last 5 minutes of baking. It's the spices that make this dish sing...

The accompanying sauce, I felt, was quite minimal for my taste. I would love to double it next time... just because I really liked the refreshing touch of the yoghurt. And I love dishes with some sort of sauce, maybe it's the European blood in me:). But if you are looking to make a different sort of chicken dish you might want to give this simple recipe a try. I think it's worth making at least once. Varies things up a bit.... and it's gluten-free. Hope you enjoy...

Tip: Re-heat leftovers in toaster oven... you could cut up the chicken and add the vegetables on top of a salad  and dress with yoghurt sauce.... or place chicken/vegetables in a pita bread/wrap and drizzle with yoghurt sauce.

   

You will need: adapted from Epicurious

4-6 rib-in chicken breast halves, (I used 6 small chicken breasts)

Marinade: reserve 1 tsp marinade to make yoghurt sauce, can reserve 2 tsps if doubling sauce.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tablespoon hot smoked paprika*

1 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper, to taste

* you could use sweet smoked paprika and add 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Vegetables:

2 cups cooked chickpeas(garbanzo beans)

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1/2 sweet onion, cut in 1 inch dice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, lightly packed

salt to taste

Yoghurt Sauce: I found the sauce minimal, and think it could easily be doubled.

1/2 cup plain greek yoghurt

1 tsp marinade oil from above

pinch of salt

Additional:

fresh chopped cilantro to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. 
• Place rack in top third oven position 

1. Mix marinade ingredients in medium bowl.
2. Remove 1 teaspoon( or 2 if doubling sauce) of the spiced oil mixture into small bowl...
MAKE YOGHURT SAUCE: combine the reserved spiced oil, yoghurt and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the spiced oil mixture over the chicken chicken breasts and rub all over.
4. Place chicken on large rimmed baking sheet. Add beans all around the chicken breasts.
5. Mix 1/2 cup chopped cilantro in remaining spiced oil mixture add a pinch of salt or so, then add the tomatoes and  toss to coat. Place tomatoes all around the chicken and add the diced onion as well.

6. Place pan on top 1/3 rack of oven and  roast until chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes, or until done... depending on thickness. 

7. Sprinkle with extra chopped fresh cilantro. 

8. Transfer chicken to a plate and spoon some of the bean/tomato/onion mixture around. Serve with the yogurt sauce.

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NY-Style Pizza Crust( BEST EVER!)... and a quick pizza sauce.

New York Style Pizza Crust(BEST EVER!)... and a quick pizza sauce. Ever since my husband and I visited NYC earlier this year, my mind has been thinking about the possibilities of replicating our last meal there... a New York style pizza. Right on the last day of our vacation, my brother and sister-in-law chose Grimaldi's for the taste test. We had been wanting to try the New York Style pizza for such a long time... even before we went on our trip. So imagine our excitement when the pizza exceeded our expectation. Simply loved it. 

I had come across Cook's Illustrated New York Style thin crust pizza some time ago. At the time I remember thinking, "not another pizza crust to try". So I didn't attempt to make it then, mainly because I have several favorite recipes I use.  But when I came back from NYC, I thought I'd give the recipe a try. I figured, why not? 

Well it happened to be a wise decision, because this pizza crust proves that you can indeed make amazing pizza at home... using a regular oven! The crust is crisp, light and chewy. It's thin( that is, if  you stretch the dough thin enough), but most of all flavorful. The long refrigeration is key. And the darker "caramelized" crust, which comes from baking the pizza close to the heating element, gives the pizza that almost wood-fired taste.   

As a plus, I've included a super quick pizza sauce that also comes from Cook's Illustrated... but feel free to use any pizza sauce you like... you can even try a bbq sauce or white sauce version. Just try not to over-sauce the pizza... and use minimal toppings. Even though this pizza crust requires a long overnight rest, it's totally worth it. The nice part you can make the dough in advance and use it in 3 days....and  you actually don't need to bake them both on the same day. I baked one pizza on the frst day and another on the third day. So you have some flexibility. 

But this has got to be my absolute favorite pizza dough! And one my husband says outdoes any pizza chain:). Love how quickly the dough gets kneaded in the food processor. Makes it super simple. You'll just need a bit of patience for the dough to rest in the fridge. 

Was the pizza exactly like the one I had in NYC? Well, nothing tastes exactly... I think the NYC pizza used fresh mozzarella cheese and of course their own signature sauce. But in the end, this homemade version was pretty close! One of the best pizzas I've made thus far... and the reason for the big bold "BEST EVER":). Hope you enjoy...

Note: You can use semolina flour or bread flour when stretching the dough... I prefer the taste/texture of the semolina flour, but bread flour will also work.

When shaping the pizza, it is important NOT to use a rolling pin. Use your hand to stretch the dough.... this will give you the necessary "bubbles " and airiness in the dough.

Tip: Keep an eye on the pizza as it's baking... every oven is different, so you may need to turn the pizza several times to bake evenly.

You will  need: adapted from Cook's Illustrated via seriouseats

For the dough:

3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/3 cups ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for work surface

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1/2 tsp dried onion powder, optional(my addition)

Cheese: for 2 pizzas

1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)

8 ounces whole milk mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)

Additional: for work surface

semolina flour or bread flour as needed to spread out pizza dough 

Directions:

1. To a food processor fitted with metal blade, add the flour, sugar, and yeast. Process until combined... a few seconds. 

2. With machine running, add ice water slowly through feed tube. Process for about 10 seconds or so... or until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains.

3. Allow dough  to rest for 10 minutes.

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4. After the resting period, add the oil and salt to the dough.

5. Process dough for about 30-60 seconds... dough forms a satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of work bowl.

6. Lightly oil countertop. Remove dough from bowl and place on countertop...  knead briefly until smooth, about 1 minute. 

7. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a bowl that has been lightly oiled. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 18 hours( 24 hrs ideal)... and up to 3 days. 

One Hour Before Baking Pizza:

• adjust oven rack to top third... or second rack position. Cook's Illustrated says about 4-6 inches from broiler rack, but I find with my oven that distance can burn my crust, so I place it where the crust is more like 8-12 inches from the heating element.
• set pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees F. 

1. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. At this point, you can bake only one pizza and leave the second half in the fridge for the following day or two. I  baked one pizza after 18 hours fridge time and baked the second half  a couple of days later.

2. Shape each half into a smooth, tight ball. Place dough ball on lightly oiled baking sheet/plate...  if baking both the same day, space them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with oil coated plastic wrap.

3. Let stand for 1 hour... at this time the oven is preheating. In the meantime, get your toppings ready. Do the pizza sauce. 

****************

4. Flour the counter top well, and place dough on top. Sprinkle top of dough with more flour.

5. Using your fingertips, gently flatten the dough into 8-inch disk...  leave about 1 inch of outer edge to  be slightly thicker than center. 

6. Using hands, gently stretch the disk into 12-inch round... you will need to turn disk as you stretch, working evenly.

7. Transfer the dough to well-floured peel( you can use semolina or bread flour... I like semolina) and stretch the dough another inch to make a 13-inch round pizza crust. 

Note: The first time I made the dough I floured  the countertop and floured the peel. The second time I used  a floured parchment paper (14-16 inch)  to stretch dough... and baked the pizza on the parchment paper. Just allows for easier maneuvering of pizza unto the hot stone. The parchment paper does get rather dark, so try not to leave too much of an overhang... you don't want it to catch on fire.

8. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving  about 1/4-inch border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over sauce(I found you could skip this, if you don't have),  then add about 1 cup shredded mozzarella.

9. Slide the pizza carefully onto stone. Bake  for 5 minutes. rotate, then bake until until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown... this can be another 5-7 more minute... a total of 10-12 minutes baking time. 

You will need to watch the pizza carefully as all ovens heat differently.... mine took about 9 minutes total baking time... and you can see how dark it got. So keep a close eye...

10. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 

11. Repeat with second half of pizza, if baking both on the same day.

Quick Pizza Sauce:

You will need:

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and liquid discarded(keep for another use... or make some BBQ sauce with it)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

pinch of sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients(except the reserved tomato juice) in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. 

2. Transfer the sauce to a bowl/jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Use the reserved tomato sauce for another use... or freeze for later.

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Korean Fried Chicken... and Gochujang Garlic-Ginger Sauce

Korean Fried Chicken... and Gochujang(Gochuchang) Garlic-Ginger Sauce. I've really been enjoying Korean food lately... actually, over the last few years to be more precise. I'm just fascinated with their cuisine. And it's been quite fun trying to duplicate some of the dishes at home.... trying to:).

I've tried my hand at making kimchi (fermented napa cabbage) this past year. Incidentally, I have another batch fermenting right now. But I've also made other Korean dishes such as kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew/soup),  which I absolutely loved.  My very first Korean dish I made was the japchae (sweet potato noodle stir-fry), which I posted  some time ago. It's been my absolute favorite! But over the years, I managed to also cook some kalbi (marinated short-ribs), bibim guksu (noodles with kimchi), bibimbap (mixed rice with vegetables, fried egg, and gochuchang), and some banchan (side dishes).

I know the names of these Korean dishes may sound quite complicated... the names may be, but the actual dishes really aren't. In reality, most of the dishes sort of play on each other. For example, if you make kimchi, then you can use some of it to make the kimchi stew, or  noodles with kimchi. Or if you have some side dishes leftover, then you can make the bibimbap.... which is basically rice with leftover banchan, a fried egg on top, and their special red pepper paste, gochujang.

What I love about Korean food is that many of their dishes are vegetable based. And some of the dishes can be made with the leftovers... as I mentioned above, from previous meals. I really like that, because this way nothing gets wasted, and you make a new dish every time.  In any case, I haven't ventured out too far when making Korean dishes at home. But recently, I made the Korean version of fried chicken, and thought to share the recipe with you...

I've heard of the popular Korean fried chicken, known for its extra crunch and delicious seasoned sauce, but I've always wondered how it tasted. And since I live nowhere near a Korean restaurant, I just had to make it at home:). So when I came across Saveur's recipe, I just couldn't wait to try it. So impatient was I, that I ended up making my Korean fried chicken with breast meat of all things(just what I had in the house). But normally wings are used, or whole chicken parts.... much, much better! The chicken breast dries way too fast ... especially since it's fried twice(key signature of Korean fried chicken). I can only imagine how delicious the chicken wings would be. Love, love chicken wings.

The idea behind Korean fried chicken is it's extra-crunchy exterior... and the sauce that covers it. It's interesting because the chicken is only seasoned after it's fried. Therefore the sauce needs to be well-seasoned in order to provide that extra boost of flavor and seasoning the chicken needs. And I've got to say, this sauce packs a ton of flavor! Lots of garlic is used, so you'll definitely taste it. But the ginger and the other condiments sort of balances out the garlic... still garlicky, mind you, but flavorful. I suppose you could use less garlic if you want. Up to you. Definitely not for the faint of heart:). The sauce is on the saltier side, so please don't be tempted to add any extra salt to the chicken.... it's really best left unseasoned.

I'm sure there are a ton of variations on the Korean fried chicken... different types of batter, sauces, etc,. But we really enjoyed this dish. Leftovers were added the next day to our Saturday morning scrambled eggs. Just yummy! Hope you enjoy...

Tip: Make sure your chicken is patted dry before adding it into the batter. Also, use cold water to make the batter....  when the cold batter hits the hot oil, it gives it that extra crunch.

You will need: adapted from Saveur

Sauce:
5 cloves garlic (if you feel this is too much for you, opt to use a  bit less)
1 (1½") piece peeled ginger
3 TBS soy sauce(you can use low sodium to cut down salt)
3 TBS gochujang (Korean chile paste)
1 ½ TBS rice vinegar
1 TBS sesame oil
1 TBS honey

Batter:
2/3 cup flour
1 TBS cornstarch
2/3 cup cold water

Meat:
1 1/2 -2 lbs chicken pieces (though I used chicken breasts for this post, I highly recommend chicken thigh meat or chicken wings (about 16))

Additional:
oil, for frying( I used coconut for mine)

Directions:
1. Chop garlic and ginger in a food processor. Add soy, gochujang, vinegar, sesame oil, and honey; purée. Put sauce into a bowl.


2. Pour oil into a 6-qt. pot to a depth of 2". Heat over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 350˚. 

3. Whisk flour, cornstarch, and ⅔ cup water in another bowl. Add chicken pieces to batter and mix to completely cover.
4. Working in batches, fry chicken until lightly golden, about 6–8 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
5. Return oil to 350˚. Fry chicken again until golden and crisp, 6–8 minutes more. Drain again.
6. Coat chicken in sauce....  if you have leftover sauce, try it as a dip for baked potato wedges. Delicious!

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Vietnamese Spring Rolls(or Summer Rolls).

Vietnamese Spring Rolls(or Summer Rolls)... a great way to use up leftovers. I know this recipe isn't something new... but when I have a few vegetables in the fridge and sometimes even leftover cooked meat from the day before, I like to make these Vietnamese spring rolls. They are a great way to  use up "tidbits" that may be sitting in the fridge. I don't think I've ever made a roll that was exactly the same... that's because I always make them with ingredients I have at the moment. Sometimes the rolls may be all vegetarian, while other times I may use up some leftover chicken or beef. I've even made the rolls with leftover stir-fried noodles(such as japchae) and adding a few fresh julienned vegetables with some cilantro. Regardless how I make them, we always enjoy the Vietnamese spring rolls.

There's always some dried rice paper sheets in the pantry, so the rolls can be made quickly. Sure you can turn bits and pieces of leftovers into a new and exciting dish, but the rolls really don't have to be made with leftovers:). You can just blanch some shrimp, or cook a scrambled egg pancake, and then add a few crunchy vegetables along with some fresh cilantro. You'll have some delicious rolls that are ready to be dipped in your favorite sauce.

I'm posting this more as an idea... for those days when you simply don't know what to do with those bits of leftovers. Amounts really don't have to be precise, just use ingredients that you like and have on hand. Though I have to say fresh herbs are rather important. It's nice to get a great balance of flavors as well as some crunch. I've listed some ideas for ingredients... and a few simple dipping sauces that can accompany the rolls.

Unlike its cousin the fried spring roll, these rolls are a bit healthier. And even though they might normally be served during the warm summer months, I've been known to make them throughout the year:). Hope you enjoy... 

You will need: any of the ingredients, to taste

dried rice paper sheets, softened

soft lettuce leaves
thinly sliced cooked meat... I used chicken, but you can use beef or even shrimp
egg "pancakes"(scrambled eggs mixed with a bit of soy sauce, sesame oil, chives), sliced in strips  

rice vermicelli, blanched until tender

julienned carrots
julienned jicama

julienned cucumber (try substituting with zucchini, if you have plenty on hand) 

julienned, cooked mushrooms ( I used soaked woodear mushrooms)

bean sprouts

cilantro

basil
mint

peanuts

green onion/chives

Your Favorite Dipping Sauce:  or any combination of ingredients below, to taste...  or any dipping sauce you like.

1. Soy sauce with a bit of lime juice OR

2. Soy sauce, sesame oil, lime, garlic, ginger OR

3. Thai Dipping Sauce~ pictured

• 1 red jalapeno(or serrano chile), sliced or minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 TBS sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 TBS lime juice
• 3-5 TBS fish sauce

Mix everything until combined and sugar is dissolved. Adjust fish sauce to taste.

4. Korean Dipping Sauce ~ adapted from the Kitchn

• 6 TBS soy sauce
• 4 TBS sesame oil
• 4 tsps Korean chile powder (gochugaru) 
• 2 tsps toasted sesame seeds
• 1-2 tsps rice vinegar, optional

Mix everything until combined. 

5. Sweet chili sauce OR

6. Peanut Sauce~ from the Kitchn

• 2 TBS creamy organic or natural peanut butter
• 2 TBS rice vinegar
• 1 TBS soy sauce
• 2 tsps sugar
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
• 1- 2 TBS water, to thin out the sauce, if necessary

Mix everything together and thin out with a bit of water as needed.

Directions:

1. It is important to have your ingredients mise en place. So arrange them on a board or platter.
2. If using rice noodles, cook according to manufacturer instructions. If anything else needs to be cooked, then do the cooking that needs to be done...ex. if using egg pancakes, shrimp, or mushrooms, etc. Otherwise, use leftover chicken or beef that is thinly sliced into strips.
3. Soften the rice paper in warm water by dipping it until barely pliable.... a few seconds. You do not want to soak the rice paper too long, as it will break up and make rolling difficult.
4. Add a bit of each ingredient at the bottom of the rice paper and fold as you would a burrito, making sure you roll it snugly.... you can drizzle a bit of your favorite dipping sauce inside before rolling, if you like. Repeat with remaining rolls.
5. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.  

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Moroccan Eggplant with Sesame Yoghurt Dressing

Grilled Eggplant with Sesame Yoghurt Dressing... Gordon Ramsay. I came across this recipe for grilled eggplant recently while leafing through one of my cookbooks. While I normally don't cook eggplant this way, I happened to love the idea of the sesame yoghurt dressing. Decided to try out the recipe...

Since I was going to turn on the outdoor grill anyway (was grilling a bunch of vegetables to make a vegetable lasagna), I went ahead and grilled the eggplant slices as well. But if you are cooking the eggplant on the outdoor grill, you may need to watch the eggplant carefully so it doesn't dry out too much.. or lower the heat if need be. In his book, Gordon Ramsay uses a grill pan, or a griddle. Using a grill pan just gives you a bit more control over the heat, versus the outdoor grill.

But you know, I really enjoyed the dish... and loved the dressing. Something new and different. It's a great appetizer or side dish for the summer months. A dish that can be made a day ahead and then brought to room temperature( or even warmed up a bit)... the dressing can be added right before serving. If you don't care for the eggplant, try making only the sesame dressing... and then using the dressing with grilled meats. The honey is there for an added bit of sweetness, but if you don't care to add it, feel free to omit it. Really, just go by taste. Oh, and the zaatar seasoning, well, it was just a last minute personal addition.... been loving the spice and have been using it on anything I can:). Hope you enjoy...

Tip: Because the dressing is great on grilled meats as well... make a larger batch.  


You will need: adapted from Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food 

1 large eggplant
olive oil, to brush and drizzle
sea salt and black pepper
few rosemary sprigs, plus extra for garnish
juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

Sesame Yoghurt Dressing: adjust tahini and yoghurt to taste ... the recipe makes a smallish amount, so you may need to double it if you want extra dressing.

1 TBS tahini(sesame seed paste)
2 TBS plain Yoghurt(I used a thick Greek yoghurt)
1 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 garlic clove, crushed

Additional: totally optional, but I like it.

1-2 tsps zaatar seasoning

Directions:

1. Wash eggplant trim ends, and cut eggplant in 1/2 inch thick slices. Brush (or drizzle) eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil( Gordon Ramsay suggests you drizzle the oil generously( I was cautious:)). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss with a few sprigs of rosemary leaves... or sprinkle a few dried rosemary leaves(what I ended up doing) .
2. Heat a griddle/grill pan... or use the outdoor grill, or even the oven broiler. Grill the eggplants for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked.... the oven might take a bit longer.
3. Place grilled eggplant slices in a bowl and while still warm add a bit more olive oil with some lemon juice. Toss well to coat and set aside.

Make Dressing:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Stir in 1-3 TBS of hot water to thin it out... you want it to be the consistency of whipping cream. Depending on how thin your yoghurt is, you may use less or more of the hot water.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.... and adjust other ingredients as well, if you like.

Assemble:

1. Place the grilled eggplant on a plate. Drizzle the dressing over the slices and garnish with e few extra rosemary leaves... and sprinkle a bit of the zaatar seasoning all over (optional... my personal addition, because I'm loving the spice:) ).

2. Serve with warm flatbread.

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"Eggs Benedict" Mexican-Style... or Poached Egg on Hash browns with Guajillo Chile Salsa

"Eggs Benedict" Mexican-Style.... or Poached Egg on Hash browns with Salsa Roja. I think I just invented a new dish... well, sort of. I admit this dish was mostly inspired, though the finishing touch was my own personal attempt at creating a dish I had never had or made made before... In the process, I named the dish, "Eggs Benedict Mexican-style". It's my new favorite brunch dish, as it's so much healthier than the classic Eggs Benedict... which I allow myself on rare occasions. Actually, this could very well be my signature dish.... because, nowadays, everyone has to have a personal signature dish:). But seriously, I'll have to give credit where credit is due...

After making a couple of Rick Bayless's salsas, from his book Mexican Everyday, I happened to leaf through some of his other recipes. As a side note in his book, he mentioned a breakfast dish he and his wife had made... in celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary. It was a simple dish consisting of some hash browns smeared with a bit of guacamole, topped with a poached egg, and a sprinkling of some chopped cilantro. So simple, that I wondered why I had never thought of it. Oh, I'll make breakfast using hash browns, eggs, and guacamole or salsa. But to put them together like he did, well, I'll be honest.... I never thought of it before.

So that's when I got inspired to make his dish... just like he mentioned it in his book. It sounded so good to me, that I knew I'd make it. And because I had just made his salsa roja, an idea came to me. Why not make Mexican-style eggs benedict? That's where my dish differs a bit from Rick Bayless's.... the addition of the salsa roja. The salsa makes the dish that much better(in my opinion).... and it mimics the classic eggs benedict. Pretty unique, I thought.

The mexican-style version is also much lighter in calories, is gluten-free, and.... well, it's different. I have to say this was a winner of a recipe for us! We loved it....and it made our Saturday morning breakfast so much better. Will be making the dish again.... made it again, and loved it just as much:). Hope you enjoy...

Note: While you can use store-bought hash browns, salsa, and guacamole, you can also make your own, as I did. Just click on the ingredient list, and the links will take you to the recipes I made some time ago.

You will need:

Homemade hash browns

Homemade guacamole

Poached eggs

Homemade Salsa Roja(Guajillo chile salsa)

Fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Make guacamole and set aside.

2. Make hash browns and keep warm.

3. Poach eggs.

4. Place hash browns on individual serving plate, smear about 1 TBS guacamole and place poached egg on top.

5. Pour some salsa roja( add to taste, as the salsa is a bit tangy... but I like tangy:)) on top of poached egg, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.... you may want to have the salsa roja at room temp, or a bit warmer.

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